Prevalence and sources of Campylobacter spp. contamination in free-range broiler production in the southern part of Belgium

• Main Authors: Vandeplas, S., Dubois-Dauphin, R., Palm, R., Beckers, Y., Thonart, P., Théwis, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 2010-01-01
• Series: Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement
• Subjects: Campylobacter; epidemiology; free-range broiler flocks; open-air range; prevalence; risk factors
• Online Access: http://www.pressesagro.be/base/text/v14n2/279.pdf

A one year epidemiological study was carried out between February 2005 and February 2006 in the southern part of Belgium to assess the Campylobacter prevalence in free-range broiler production. Three successive broiler flocks from six Belgian farms were investigated for the presence of Campylobacter spp. during the rearing period. Each flock was visited four times, before and after the outdoor rearing period. During each visit, samples were taken in the broiler house (litter, cecal droppings, water-lines, feed, anteroom) as well as from the outer rearing environment (open-air range). The Campylobacter detection in all samples was carried out according to the ISO 10272 standard. Identification was based on colonial morphology, microscopic examination, and biochemical tests. PCR multiplex was used for genetic confirmation. Campylobacter jejuni was the main species isolated from all contaminated samples. Overall, mixed infections C. jejuni / Campylobacter coli represented 40.6%, while C. jejuni and C. coli represented 46.9% and 12.5% of chicken samples respectively. A 100% flock contamination was observed in the 6 farms during the summer-autumn period, whereas only 66.7% and 33.3% of the flocks became Campylobacter-positive in spring and winter respectively, at the end of the rearing period. Half of contaminated flocks were infected before chickens have access to the open-air range. Environmental samples, especially the open-air range soil, were found to be Campylobacter-positive before flock infection. The other potential sources of contamination were delivery tray, anteroom floor and water-lines. Other animal productions like cattle on the farm, no applied rodent control, no cleaning and disinfection of water-lines between flocks, no detergent used for cleaning and thinning were recorded as risk factors. In conclusion, the contact with the environment, particularly the access to an open-air range, appeared to be the major way of Campylobacter contamination of chickens in free-range broiler production.