Proximity to other commercial turkey farms affects colonization onset, genotypes and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter in turkeys: suggestive evidence from a paired-farm model

Authors: NIEDERMEYER, JEFFREY - North Carolina State University; RING, LYNDE - North Carolina State University; Miller, William - Bill; GENGER, SEICHE - North Carolina State University; PARR LINDSEY, CHRISTINA - North Carolina State University; OSBORNE, JASON - North Carolina State University; KATHARIOU, SOPHIA - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2018
Publication Date: 7/6/2018
Citation: Niedermeyer, J., Ring, L., Miller, W.G., Genger, S., Parr Lindsey, C., Osborne, J., Kathariou, S. 2018. Proximity to other commercial turkey farms affects colonization onset, genotypes and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter in turkeys: suggestive evidence from a paired-farm model. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 84(18):e01212-18. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01212-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01212-18

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter are commonly associated with human foodborne illness. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the primary campylobacters that cause human illness and transmission is often via contaminated poultry products, such as turkeys. This study investigated Campylobacter transmission in two turkey breeds on two farms: a university-associated farm and a commercial farm. Birds were obtained from the same breeder and introduced at the same time onto the two farms and allowed to mingle with the other birds. By the third week, most (88%) of the campylobacters isolated from the birds were C. coli, with the remainder being C. jejuni. Campylobacter isolated from birds on the university farm were mostly resistant to tetracycline and one genetic type was prevalent throughout the bacterial isolates. However, most of the Campylobacter isolated from the introduced birds on the commercial farm were resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter spp. are prominent zoonotic agents for foodborne disease, and poultry products are major vehicles for human disease. However, conditions which contribute to differences in Campylobacter colonization between different poultry flocks remain poorly understood, especially with turkeys. In this study we investigated Campylobacter colonization in two breeds of turkeys (Hybrid and Nicholas) grown at two different farms, a university-associated farm (TAU) and a commercial farm (SIB) in the same region. Day-old birds were obtained from the same breeder flock and hatchery and simultaneously placed at the two farms. Birds were marked to identify breed and co-mingled on each farm. At weekly intervals over nine weeks cecal samples were collected and Campylobacter prevalence, species designations, resistance profiles to a panel of six antibiotics and genotypes were determined. Both flocks became colonized by week 3 and most (88%) Campylobacter isolates from both flocks were Campylobacter coli, with the remainder being C. jejuni. No consistent differences in Campylobacter levels and strains were noted based on breed, but Campylobacter spp. CFU/g cecal content differed by up to 10 fold between breeds at certain time points. Major differences between the farms were noted in Campylobacter genotypes and resistance profiles. The vast majority of the isolates at TAU were resistant only to tetracycline and one strain genotype prevailed throughout the lifetime of the flock, whereas multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates predominated at SIB. The findings do not support vertical transmission of Campylobacter in turkeys and highlight the importance of farm-specific factors in the antimicrobial resistance profiles and genotypes of Campylobacter spp. that colonize turkeys.