Random sorting of Campylobacter jejuni phase variants due to a narrow bottleneck during colonization of broiler chickens

Campylobacter is the most frequent foodborne zoonotic bacteria worldwide, with chicken meat being overwhelmingly the most important reservoir for human infections. Control measures implemented at the farm level (i.e., biosecurity or vaccination), which have been successfully applied to limit other pathogens, such as Salmonella, have not been effective in reducing Campylobacter occurrence. Thus, new approaches are needed to fully understand the ecological interactions of Campylobacter with host animals to effectively comprehend its epidemiology. The objective of this study was to analyse longitudinally the gut microbiota composition of Campylobacter-infected and non-infected farms to identify any difference that could potentially be indicative of gut colonization by Campylobacter spp. Differences in the colonization rate and timing were observed at the farms that became positive for Campylobacter jejuni over the investigated time points, even though in positive tests, the occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni gut colonization was not observed before the second week of the life of the birds. Significant differences were observed in the abundances of specific bacterial taxa between the microbiota of individuals belonging to farms that became Campylobacter positive during the study and those who remained negative with particular reference to Bacteroidales and Clostridiales, respectively. Moreover, Campylobacter colonization dramatically influenced the microbiota richness, although to a different extent depending on the infection timing. Finally, a key role of Faecalibacterium and Lactobacillus genera on the Campylobacter microbial network was observed. Understanding the ecology of the Campylobacter interaction with host microbiota during infection could support novel approaches for broiler microbial barrier restoration. Therefore, evidence obtained through this study can be used to identify options to reduce the incidence of infection at a primary production level based on the targeted influence of the intestinal microbiota, thus helping develop new control strategies in order to mitigate the risk of human exposure to Campylobacter by chicken meat consumption.

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Effects of a dietary direct-fed microbial and Ferulago angulata extract on growth performance, intestinal microflora, and immune function of broiler chickens infected with Campylobacter jejuni

Poultry Science ◽

10.1016/j.psj.2020.12.039 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zahra Nooreh ◽

Kamran Taherpour ◽

Mohammad Akbari Gharaei ◽

Hassan Shirzadi ◽

Hossein Ali Ghasemi

Keyword(s):

Immune Function ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Intestinal Microflora

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Incidence of Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Listeria monocytogenes in Poultry Carcasses and Different Types of Poultry Products for Sale on the Belgian Retail Market

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-62.7.735 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 62 (7) ◽

pp. 735-740 ◽

Cited By ~ 108

Author(s):

M. UYTTENDAELE ◽

P. DE TROY ◽

J. DEBEVERE

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Salmonella Enteritidis ◽

Contamination Level ◽

Contamination Rate ◽

Campylobacter Coli ◽

Retail Market ◽

Salmonella Spp ◽

Poultry Products

From January 1997 to May 1998, 772 samples of poultry carcasses and poultry products for sale on the retail market in Belgium were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Salmonella Enteritidis, Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes per 100 cm2 or 25 g. Poultry samples were contaminated with Salmonella (36.5%), C. jejuni and C. coli (28.5%), and L. monocytogenes (38.2%). In about 12.3% of the poultry samples, the L. monocytogenes contamination level exceeded 1 CFU per g or cm2. Significant differences in pathogen contamination rates of poultry products were noticed between the poultry products originating from Belgian, French, and U.K. abattoirs. Poultry products derived from broiler chickens running free in pine woods until slaughtering age (12 to 13 weeks) had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower contamination rate of Salmonella than poultry products from enclosed broilers slaughtered at the age of 6 to 8 weeks. A significantly (P < 0.05) lower pathogen contamination rate was noted for Salmonella, C. jejuni, and C. coli for poultry cuts without skin compared to poultry cuts with skin on. An increase in pathogen contamination rate was noticed during cutting and further processing. To diminish C. jejuni, C. coli, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes contamination rates, hygienic rules of slaughter and meat processing must be rigorously observed. At the moment, zero tolerance for these pathogens is not feasible, and there is a need to establish criteria allowing these pathogens to be present at reasonable levels in the examined poultry samples.

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Expression of the Campylobacter jejuni FliD protein and its reaction to chicken sera

FEMS Microbiology Letters ◽

10.1093/femsle/fnaa115 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 367 (14) ◽

Author(s):

Xiao-Yan Zhang ◽

Qian Zhou ◽

Meng-Jun Tang ◽

Jun-Hua Pu ◽

Yan-Feng Fan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Human Infection ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Capping Protein ◽

Cultural Status ◽

Bacterial Gastroenteritis ◽

Antibody Levels ◽

Culture Negative

ABSTRACT Campylobacter is a leading causative pathogen of acute bacterial gastroenteritis among humans. Contaminated chicken products are regarded as major sources of human infection. The flagellar capping protein (FliD), which plays important roles in colonization and adhesion to the mucosal surface of chicken ceca, is conserved among Campylobacter jejuni strains. In this study, the recombinant C. jejuni FliD protein was expressed, purified and used as a coated protein to examine the prevalence of C. jejuni antibodies in chickens. The anti-FliD antibody was prevalent among chicken serum samples taken from different farms in the diverse regions of Jiangsu province by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Campylobacter antibody was present in culture-negative chickens. No strong dose–response relationships were observed between serum FliD antibody levels and Campylobacter cultural status. These results provide a basis for further evaluating FliD as a vaccine candidate for broiler chickens or for examining host–C. jejuni interactions, with implications for improving food safety.

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Longitudinal Study of Campylobacter jejuni Bacteriophages and Their Hosts from Broiler Chickens

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.70.7.3877-3883.2004 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 70 (7) ◽

pp. 3877-3883 ◽

Cited By ~ 65

Author(s):

P. L. Connerton ◽

C. M. Loc Carrillo ◽

C. Swift ◽

E. Dillon ◽

A. Scott ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

De Novo ◽

Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Bacteriophage Therapy ◽

The Third ◽

Development Of Resistance ◽

Broiler House

ABSTRACT A longitudinal study of bacteriophages and their hosts was carried out at a broiler house that had been identified as having a population of Campylobacter-specific bacteriophages. Cloacal and excreta samples were collected from three successive broiler flocks reared in the same barn. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from each flock, whereas bacteriophages could be isolated from flocks 1 and 2 but were not isolated from flock 3. The bacteriophages isolated from flocks 1 and 2 were closely related to each other in terms of host range, morphology, genome size, and genetic content. All Campylobacter isolates from flock 1 were genotypically indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE and multilocus sequence typing indicated that this C. jejuni type was maintained from flock 1 to flock 2 but was largely superseded by three genetically distinct C. jejuni types insensitive to the resident bacteriophages. All isolates from the third batch of birds were insensitive to bacteriophages and genotypically distinct. These results are significant because this is the first study of an environmental population of C. jejuni bacteriophages and their influence on the Campylobacter populations of broiler house chickens. The role of developing bacteriophage resistance was investigated as this is a possible obstacle to the use of bacteriophage therapy to reduce the numbers of campylobacters in chickens. In this broiler house succession was largely due to incursion of new genotypes rather than to de novo development of resistance.

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Influence of Glycyrrhiza glabra Extract on Growth, Gene Expression of Gut Integrity, and Campylobacter jejuni Colonization in Broiler Chickens

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2020.612063 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Author(s):

Doaa Ibrahim ◽

Alaa H. Sewid ◽

Ahmed H. Arisha ◽

Amir H. abd El-fattah ◽

Adel M. Abdelaziz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Body Weight ◽

Campylobacter Jejuni ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Body Weight Gain ◽

Control Diet ◽

Tight Junction Proteins ◽

Expression Of Genes ◽

Real Time Qpcr ◽

Junction Proteins

Phytogenic feed additives have been gaining considerable interest due to their ability to improve gut health and thereby performance of broiler chickens. The impact of Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) extract (GE) on expression of genes coding for tight junction proteins and gut protection and Campylobacter jejuni colonization in broilers has not been discussed until now. Thus, the current study assessed the effective dose of GE for maximum growth in broiler chickens, clear-cut molecular mechanisms related to integrity and health of intestine, and controlling C. jejuni colonization. Over a 35-day feeding period, a total of 500 Ross broiler chicks were allocated to five groups; the first group was fed a control diet without GE and the second group to the fifth group were fed a control diet with GE (0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg of diet); each group comprised 100 chicks with 10 replicates (10 birds/replicate). Birds fed GE had an improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Furthermore, the highest body weight gain was observed in the group that received 1 g/kg of GE (P < 0.05). The expression of genes coding for tight junction proteins [occludin and junctional adhesion molecules (JAM)] was upregulated in all groups supplemented with GE. Moreover, birds fed 1 g/kg of GE exhibited the maximum gene expression of occludin and JAM [0.2 and 0.3 fold change, respectively (P < 0.05)]. In relation to enterocyte protective genes [glucagon-like peptide (GLP-2) and fatty acid-binding protein (FABP-6)], use of GE significantly upregulated expression of GLP-2 gene with 0.8 fold change in 2 g/kg of the GE supplemented group (P < 0.05) while the expression of FABP-6 gene was not affected by GE supplementation (P > 0.05). After challenge with C. jejuni, the expression of mucin (MUC-2) gene was upregulated and the inflammatory markers such as Toll-like receptors (TLR-4) and interleukin (IL-1β) were downregulated with increasing level of supplemented GE (P < 0.05). The mean log10 count of C. jejuni in cecal samples after 7 days post-infection by culture and real-time qPCR was decreased in groups fed GE in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). In addition, the highest reduction of C. jejuni count in cecal samples by culture and real-time qPCR was observed in the group fed 2 g/kg of GE (2.58 and 2.28 log10 CFU/g, respectively). Results from this study suggested that G. glabra extract (1 g/kg) improved growth performance of broiler chickens, as well as influenced the maintenance of intestinal integrity and reduced C. jejuni shedding from infected birds.

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