Campylobacter sp in organs and meconium of day-old broiler chicks derived from naturally infected breeder hens
Campylobacter sp is an important agent that causes foodborne infection, particularly in food of poultry origin. Therefore, the efficient control of the transmission routes in chicken farms is of outmost importance to prevent it from spreading. In chicken farms, the main transmission route of this microorganism is horizontal, as the vertical route continues to be the object of inconclusive researches. The objective of this study was to verify the presence of Campylobacter sp in breeder hens, meconium, and other organs of day-old chicks derived from these breeders in order to obtain information on vertical transmission. Microbiological analyses were performed, using cloacal swabs from 279 breeder hens. Positive breeders were segregated, and the presence of Campylobacter sp. was verified in their progeny by analyzing 117 meconium samples; 36 heart, liver and spleen samples (pool of 3 day-old chicks per sample), and 34 intestine samples (pool of 3 chickens in each sample). The analysis of the 279 breeder hens showed that 39 (13.97%) were positive for Campylobacter sp, using the cloacal swab method. The meconium and the organs of day-old chicks were not positive. The physiological characteristics of breeder hens, of eggs, and of Campylobacter sp favor the entrance of bacteria and their survival inside the eggs, and therefore, this probably is the contamination route of day-old chicks. However, chick meconium and organs were negative in the present experiment, indicating that the vertical way of transmission is a rare event.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Fundacao de Apoio a Ciência e Tecnologia Avicolas
2006
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| Online Access: | http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2006000400010 |
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