title: Distribution and Genetic Profiles of Campylobacter in Commercial Broiler Production from Breeder to Slaughter in Thailand.
abstract: Poultry and poultry products are commonly considered as the major vehicle of Campylobacter infection in humans worldwide. To reduce the number of human cases, the epidemiology of Campylobacter in poultry must be better understood. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the distribution and genetic relatedness of Campylobacter in the Thai chicken production industry. During June to October 2012, entire broiler production processes (i.e., breeder flock, hatchery, broiler farm and slaughterhouse) of five broiler production chains were investigated chronologically. Representative isolates of C. jejuni from each production stage were characterized by flaA SVR sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Amongst 311 selected isolates, 29 flaA SVR alleles and 17 sequence types (STs) were identified. The common clonal complexes (CCs) found in this study were CC-45, CC-353, CC-354 and CC-574. C. jejuni isolated from breeders were distantly related to those isolated from broilers and chicken carcasses, while C. jejuni isolates from the slaughterhouse environment and meat products were similar to those isolated from broiler flocks. Genotypic identification of C. jejuni in slaughterhouses indicated that broilers were the main source of Campylobacter contamination of chicken meat during processing. To effectively reduce Campylobacter in poultry meat products, control and prevention strategies should be aimed at both farm and slaughterhouse levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sakaoporn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prachantasena
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Petcharatt
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Charununtakorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Suthida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muangnoicharoen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Luck
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hankla
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Natthaporn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Techawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: Prapansak
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaveerach
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Pravate
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tuitemwong
authors.affiliation: National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathumthani, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nipa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chokesajjawatee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.|Research Unit in Microbial Food Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Taradon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luangtongkum
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005838:Genotype; D008460:Meat; D010802:Phylogeny; D011200:Poultry / Q000382:microbiology; D013785:Thailand