Factors responsible for the introduction and spread of Campylobacter jejuni infection in commercial poultry production.
Campylobacter jejuni and related thermophilic campylobacters were not found in a hatchery or in chicks aged less than seven days. However, an increasing proportion of chicks aged two weeks and older shed campylobacters in their droppings. It was shown that a likely source of C jejuni for young chicks was the environment in the immediate vicinity of the rearing houses, and that infection could readily be introduced on the footwear and clothing of farm staff. Thermophilic campylobacters were found in the air, litter and drinking water containers in the rearing and finishing houses.
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Food Hygiene, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
R R
RR
Kazwala
J D
JD
Collins
J
J
Hannan
R A
RA
Crinion
H
H
O'Mahony
D000391:Air Microbiology; D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D002168:Campylobacter fetus / Q000145:classification; D002645:Chickens; D004326:Drinking; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006799:Housing, Animal; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D014871:Water Microbiology