title: Influence of host lineage on cecal colonization by Campylobacter jejuni in chickens.
abstract: The resistance to cecal colonization by Campylobacter jejuni was assessed by challenging three crossbred stocks of commercially available broiler chickens. These three stocks, designated A, B, and C, were related as follows: Offspring from four pedigreed grandparent flocks were used as progenitors. Stock B was derived by cross-breeding grandparent 1 with grandparent 3. Stocks A and C were crossbreeds from grandparents 1 and 2 and grandparents 3 and 4, respectively. Campylobacter jejuni were gavaged into 48-hour-old chicks, using the same levels of challenge dose for each of the different chicken stocks. Six days post-challenge, the birds were sacrificed, and cecal contents were plated onto Campylobacter-selective media. Results from two replicate trials with three isolates of C. jejuni indicated that chicken stock A was colonized in only two of 60 ceca, stock B in six of 60, and stock C in 19 of 60 chicken ceca. Statistical analysis of these data indicate that resistance to cecal colonization by C. jejuni was significantly (P less than 0.05) influenced through chicken host lineage.
authors.affiliation: Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit, Richard B. Russell Research Center, Agricultural Research Service-USDA, Athens, Georgia 30613.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Meinersmann
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Blankenship
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002432:Cecum / Q000382:microbiology; D002645:Chickens; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*