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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375805
Research Project: Identification of the Ecological Niches and Development of Intervention Strategies to Reduce Pathogenic Foodborne Pathogens in Poultry

Location: Food and Feed Safety Research

Title: Disinfectant and antimicrobial susceptibility studies of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni isolated from the litter of broiler chicken houses

Author
item Beier, Ross
item Byrd Ii, James - Allen
item Andrews, Kathleen - Kate
item Caldwell, Denise
item Crippen, Tawni - Tc
item Anderson, Robin
item Nisbet, David

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/27/2020
Publication Date: 2/1/2021
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/7170765
Citation: Beier, R.C., Byrd II, J.A., Andrews, K., Caldwell, D.Y., Crippen, T.L., Anderson, R.C., Nisbet, D.J. 2021. Disinfectant and antimicrobial susceptibility studies of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni isolated from the litter of broiler chicken houses. Poultry Science. 100(2):1024-1033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2020.10.045.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2020.10.045

Interpretive Summary: Foodborne infections are an on-going problem worldwide and are caused by bacteria that invade the food chain. The bacteria may enter the food chain through food animals, through the farm environment, at the slaughter house, in a restaurant or grocery, or in the home, and these bacteria must be controlled by strategies using biocides (antiseptics and disinfectants). In this study, the susceptibility profiles were determined for 96 Campylobacter jejuni strains obtained in 2011–2012 from protective shoe covers worn in broiler chicken houses. The susceptibility to antimicrobials and disinfectants was determined according to the methods published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and the company that produces the CAMPY AST Campylobacter plates (TREK Diagnostics Systems). Disinfectant plates were made daily for determining the susceptibilities of disinfectants and disinfectant components. Low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of C. jejuni was observed for 3 out of 9 antibiotics, tetracycline (TET, 21.9%), ciprofloxacin (CIP, 13.5%), and nalidixic acid (NAL, 12.5%), and the resistance profile observed in some bacteria was CIP-NAL-TET with TET being the most observed profile. No cross-resistance was observed between the antibiotics and the disinfectants tested. Therefore, resistance to antibiotics appeared to have no effect on the susceptibility levels measured in disinfectants, and vice versa. The effects of common disinfectants like triclosan, chlorhexidine, benzalkonium choride, OdoBan, Tek-Trol, P-128, DC&R, CPB, CPC, CDEAB, and CTAB were evaluated. It was determined that 99% of the C. jejuni strains were resistant to triclosan, 32% were resistant to chlorhexidine, and all 96 strains were susceptible to benzalkonium chloride. This study provides important information on the relationships of Campylobacter strains with antimicrobials and disinfectants, and ultimately will contribute to development of approaches to assure that food animals are produced in a manner to assure the highest possible microbial safety of meat and poultry products reaching the consumer.

Technical Abstract: Foodborne infections are an on-going problem worldwide and are caused by bacteria that invade the food chain from the farm, slaughterhouse, restaurant or grocery, or in the home and must be controlled by strategies using biocides (antiseptics and disinfectants). The susceptibility profiles were determined for 96 Campylobacter jejuni strains obtained in 2011–2012 from shoe covers worn in broiler chicken houses to antimicrobials and disinfectants according to the methods of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and TREK Diagnostics using CAMPY AST Campylobacter plates. Disinfectant plates were made daily. Low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance was observed in C. jejuni strains to tetracycline (21.9%), ciprofloxacin (13.5%), and nalidixic acid (12.5%). The resistance profiles had a maximum of 3 antimicrobials, CIP-NAL-TET, with TET being the main profile observed. No cross-resistance was observed between antimicrobials and disinfectants. The C. jejuni strains (99%) were resistant to triclosan, 32% were resistant to chlorhexidine and they all were susceptible to benzalkonium chloride. The strains had low-level MICs to the disinfectants P-128, FSS, F25, FS512, OdoBan, C8AC, didecyldimethylammonium chloride (C10AC), C12BAC, and C14BAC. Intermediate MICs against DC&R, CPB, CPC, CDEAB, and CTAB with elevated intermediate MICs against TEK-Trol, C16BAC, THN, and formaldehyde. The highest MICs were obtained for providone-iodine. The components THN and the BACs, C12BAC and C14BAC, were responsible for the inhibition by DC&R. The components C10AC and C12BAC may act synergistically causing inhibition of C. jejuni by disinfectant P-128. The formaldehyde component in DC&R was not effective against C. jejuni compared to the ammonium chloride components. Its use in disinfectants may result in additional unnecessary chemicals in the environment. C10AC is the most effective ammonium chloride component against C. jejuni.