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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #393901
Research Project: Production and Processing Intervention Strategies for Poultry Associated Foodborne Pathogens

Location: Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research Unit

Title: Detection of Campylobacter and Salmonella isolates from pullet and breeder farms of a commercial broiler company

Author
item ADHIKARI, YAGYA - Auburn University
item BAILEY, MATTHEW - Auburn University
item CHASTEEN, KAICIE - Auburn University
item KREHLING, JAMES - Auburn University
item GAONKAR, PANKAJ - Auburn University
item KITCHENS, STEVEN - Auburn University
item PRICE, STUARD - Auburn University
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item MACKLIN, KENETH - Auburn University

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2022
Publication Date: 7/11/2022
Citation: Adhikari, Y., Bailey, M.A., Chasteen, K.S., Krehling, J.T., Gaonkar, P.P., Kitchens, S.R., Price, S.B., Buhr, R.J., Macklin, K.S. 2022. Detection of Campylobacter and Salmonella isolates from pullet and breeder farms of a commercial broiler company. Poultry Science Association. p. 458P.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Assessment and control of foodborne pathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter in the poultry industry is crucial for designing efficient food safety plans and programs to address emerging foodborne pathogens. A study was conducted with a commercial broiler company in which two pullet farms (Farm 1 and 2) and four breeder farms (Farm 3, 4, 5 and 6) were sampled to detect Salmonella and Campylobacter. With the findings, it will be possible to determine risk factors of introducing these pathogens to the poultry complex. A total of 38 samples (boot swabs, insect traps, fly papers, feed samples) from inside and a total of 64 samples (insect traps, fly papers, soil samples, mouse intestine, unknown feces, puddles, litter pile, wild birds) from outside the pullet houses were collected for the isolation of Salmonella while 32 samples from inside and 35 samples from outside were used for isolating Campylobacter. Similarly, altogether 163 samples were collected for isolating Campylobacter and 177 samples for isolating Salmonella from inside and outside of four breeder houses. All the samples were analyzed with Molecular Detection System (MDS – 3M). From the two pullet farms, 5 MDS Salmonella positive samples (3 boot swabs, 1 soil sample and 1 beetle sample), one boot swab (from Farm 1) tested positive on culture for Salmonella while among 12 MDS Campylobacter positive samples (6 boot swabs, 4 soil samples, 1 unknown feces and 1 mouse intestine), the mouse intestine (from Farm 1) tested positive on culture for Campylobacter. From the four breeder farms, there were 58 MDS positive Campylobacter samples of which 4 samples (mouse intestine, boot swab, soil sample and fly paper inside) from Farm 4, and 1 puddle water sample from Farm 5, and 6 samples (3 cow feces and a soil sample, puddle water and seepage from houses) from Farm 6 tested positive for Campylobacter on culture. None of the samples tested positive for Salmonella in MDS. This study is a survey-based and is more focused on identifying the potential risk factors for introducing Salmonella and Campylobacter to the complex. Thus, at this time, statistics was not performed in this study. With these findings, it can be inferred that the surroundings of poultry houses include various potential risk factors that can potentially transmit foodborne pathogens Salmonella and Campylobacter into poultry houses, and hence, to the consumers. Strict biosecurity measures and implementing HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) plan along with periodic monitoring and surveillance for foodborne pathogens may be effective ways to avoid pathogens from entering poultry houses.