Assessment of Salmonella and Campylobacter among various stages of No-Antibiotics-Ever (NAE) commercial broiler complex.

Authors: ADHIKARI, YAGYA - Auburn University; BAILEY, MATTHEW - Auburn University; KREHLING, JAMES - Auburn University; CHASTEEN, KAICIE - Auburn University; MUNOZ, LUIS - Auburn University; LOBO, CESAR - Auburn University; GALINDO, LETICIA - Auburn University; GAONKAR, PANKAJ - Auburn University; KITCHENS, STEVEN - Auburn University; PRICE, STUART - Auburn University; BOURASSA, DIANNA - Auburn University; Buhr, Richard - Jeff; MACKLIN, KENNETH - Auburn University

Submitted to: Poultry Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/2023
Publication Date: 7/10/2023
Citation: Adhikari, Y., Bailey, M., Krehling, J., Chasteen, K.S., Munoz, L.R., Lobo, C.E., Galindo, L.A., Gaonkar, P., Kitchens, S., Price, S., Bourassa, D.V., Buhr, R.J., Macklin, K.J. 2023. Assessment of Salmonella and Campylobacter among various stages of No-Antibiotics-Ever (NAE) commercial broiler complex.. Poultry Science Meeting. 102(E-Suppl.1): 149, p.73..

Interpretive Summary: No Summary-BS

Technical Abstract: Salmonella and Campylobacter continue to be the leading causes of foodborne infections in the United States and have a huge economic impact in the poultry industry. With the aim to isolate these pathogens, and to determine potential risk factors among various stages of commercial broiler complex, a total of 840 samples for Salmonella, and 531 samples for Campylobacter were collected from inside and outside the farmhouses and company support facilities. 2 pullet farms, 4 breeder farms, a hatchery, 9 broiler farms, transport and a processing plant were selected and sampled from a No-Antibiotics-Ever (NAE) complex. All the samples were analyzed with a 3M-Molecular Detection System (MDS) for rapid screening, and suspect positive samples were further processed for confirmation of results and identification. From pullet farms, 5 MDS Salmonella positive and 6 MDS Campylobacter positive samples were identified. Among these, one sample for Salmonella and Campylobacter tested culture positive. From breeder farms, there were 57 MDS Campylobacter positive samples, 7 of which tested positive on culture; none of the samples tested positive for Salmonella with MDS. Broiler farms had 13 MDS positive samples for both Salmonella and Campylobacter. Among these, 7 and 2 samples tested culture positive for Salmonella and Campylobacter respectively. The hatchery had 17 MDS Salmonella positive and 2 MDS Campylobacter positive samples. From these, 5 samples tested culture positive for Salmonella while none tested culture positive for Campylobacter. Finally, from processing plant, 3 and 11 samples for Salmonella and Campylobacter respectively tested positive with MDS and culture. Salmonella serotypes identified were rough_O:r:1,5 from a pullet farm and serotypes S. Barranquilla, S. Kentucky, S. Liverpool and S. Luciana were identified from broiler farms, transport and processing plant. Similarly, serotypes S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium were identified from hatchery. Basedon MDS results, odds ratios were calculated for various stages of production and sample types using one-way ANOVA. There was a significantly higher chance (P<0.05) of occurrence of Campylobacter in breeder and processing plant samples. Boot swabs, swabs, carcass rinses, and soil samples were significant (P<0.05) for detecting Campylobacter among 11 different sample types. However, both stages and sample types were not useful for predicting Salmonella (P>0.05). The results indicate that both the inside and outside environments of farms and facilities have risk factors that may lead to foodborne pathogen entry into the poultry production chain at various points. Future analysis of sequence data will help to elucidate transmission between production stages.