Epidemiologic features of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from poultry broiler houses and surrounding environments as determined by use of molecular strain typing.
OBJECTIVE
To genetically type Campylobacter jejuni isolates from broiler houses or the external environment to identify the source of Campylobacter organisms in broiler chickens.


METHODS
Environmental samples associated with broiler chickens, in commercial grow-out houses.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify flaB, and the amplicon was digested with Sau3A to create a restriction fragment length polymorphism assay; PCR was also used to detect a transcribed spacer region in the 23S rRNA gene.


RESULTS
Isolates possessing a 23S spacer region were more prevalent outside broiler houses than inside. Houses that had previously contained chickens or lacked biosecurity procedures were more likely to contain isolates possessing the 23S spacer. One house contained only isolates possessing the spacer, whereas an adjacent house contained only isolates lacking the spacer. The flaB type detected in broiler houses was different from the type detected in the environment; however, many isolates within the broiler houses contained untypable flaB genotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Most isolates from within houses were genetically distinct from isolates from outside houses that were examined by bacteriologic culture, suggesting an undetected source of C jejuni. Detection of isolates containing the 23S spacer appeared to be an indicator of environmental contamination of the houses. The observation of completely different C jejuni genetic types simultaneously within adjacent houses suggests that some types do not compete successfully during the grow-out period. In addition, the diversity of genotypes identified within broiler houses indicates the complexity of the ecologic features of C jejuni in the chicken environment.
Nesbit
E G
EG
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.
Gibbs
P
P
Dreesen
D W
DW
Lee
M D
MD
D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D005408:Flagellin / Q000235:genetics; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006920:Hygiene; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000235:genetics
D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S; D005408:Flagellin; C416532:flaB flagellin