Correlations between Campylobacter spp. prevalence in the environment and broiler flocks.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate (i) possible correlations between the presence of Campylobacter spp. in the surroundings of broiler farms and their incidence in flocks, and (ii) possible associations between weather conditions and the occurrence of Campylobacter spp.


RESULTS
Farms were selected according to previous results from the Swedish Campylobacter programme. Samples were collected in and around broiler houses during the rearing period from 131 flocks on 31 farms, including sock samples from the ground outside, from the floor in the broiler houses and anterooms, and samples from insects, water, feed and ventilation shafts.


CONCLUSIONS
As expected, there was a difference in Campylobacter isolation rates for different categories of farms regarding samples taken in the houses. However, there were no differences regarding the presence of Campylobacter spp. in the environment between producers that often deliver Campylobacter-positive slaughter batches and those that rarely deliver positive batches. Campylobacter spp. were more frequently found in the surroundings on rainy days when compared with sunny days.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical barriers between outside and inside the houses appeared to be important for preventing Campylobacter spp. in the environment to be transferred into the broiler houses.
Hansson
I
I
Department of Bacteriology, National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden. ingrid.hansson@sva.se
Vågsholm
I
I
Svensson
L
L
Olsson Engvall
E
E
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003020:Clothing; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006799:Housing, Animal; D015994:Incidence; D008460:Meat; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014186:Transportation; D014691:Ventilation