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Title: OCCURRENCE OF CAMPYLOBACTER SPP. IN CECAL CONTENTS AMONG COMMERCIAL BROILERS IN ICELAND

Author
item Stern, Norman
item REIERSEN, J - CHIEF VET OFFICE
item LOWMAN, R - CANDAIAN FOOD INSP
item BISAILLON, J - CANADIAN FOOD INSP
item FRIDRIKSDOTTIR, V - INST OF EXP PATHOLOGY
item GUNNARSSON, E - INST OF EXP PATHOLOGY
item Hiett, Kelli

Submitted to: Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2004
Publication Date: 6/1/2005
Citation: Stern, N.J., Reiersen, J., Lowman, R., Bisaillon, J.R., Fridriksdottir, V., Gunnarsson, E., Hiett, K.L. 2005. Campylobacter spp. in ceca of commercial broilers in iceland. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. 2:82-89.

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter remains the most frequent bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis in Nordic countries. The primary source to humans is mishandled raw poultry or consuming improperly prepared chicken. The focus of this report was to characterize the frequency and level of the organism within the commercial Icelandic poultry industry. A total of 15.4% of the flocks were positive at levels up to 8.1 X 10*7 cfu/gm of intestinal material. The frequency of flock colonization ranged from 17.6% to 17.3% to 12.7% for 2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively. With one catch lot per flock, the infection frequency was 13.7%, with two 17.5%, and with three 33.3%. Flocks with fewer than 5,000 birds had a frequency of 12.0%, flocks with 5 to 10,000 birds were positive 14.0%, and flocks with more than 10,000 birds were positive 25.5%. Isolation rates varied with the commercial processing lines: M was positive at 17.3%, B was positive at 10.1% and G at 17.2%. Flocks were more often colonized in the warmer months of the year and younger were less frequently colonized than were older slaughtered birds.

Technical Abstract: The focus of this report was to characterize the frequency and level of Campylobacter jejuni within the commercial Icelandic poultry industry. Ninety-five percent of broiler flocks (1,091) were sampled in 2001 through 2003. At the slaughter plants, ceca were obtained from each flock and analyzed. Level per gm of cecal material and frequency of Campylobacter spp. were estimated by direct plating. A total of 15.4% of the flocks carried the organism at levels ranging up to 8.1 X 10*7 cfu/gm, with a mean raw count of colonized birds at 1.3 X 10*7 cfu/gm (geometric mean of 1.5 X 106/gm). During the three years of sampling the frequency ranged from 17.6% to 17.3% to 12.7% for slaughter years 2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively. Isolation rates varied with numbers of catch lots/flock; with one catch lot/flock, the frequency was 13.7%, with two 17.5%, and with three 33.3%. With increased flock size, isolation rates also increased; flocks with <5,000 birds had a frequency of 12.0%, flocks with 5 to 10,000 birds were positive 14.0%, and >10,000 birds were positive 25.5% among those flocks. Isolation rates varied with the processing lines: M was positive at 17.3%, B was positive at 10.1% and G at 17.2%. Flocks were more frequently colonized in the warmer months and younger birds were less frequently colonized than were older slaughtered birds.