Incidence and Levels of Campylobacter in Broilers After Exposure to an Inoculated Seeder Bird

Campylobacter is a very important human foodborne pathogen that is present in commercial broiler flocks. This organism lives in the intestinal tract of broilers without causing avian disease. However, commercial poultry products are frequently implicated as vehicles of human campylobacteriosis. Flocks are typically free of Campylobacter for the first 2 to 4 wk of broiler production. A flock may be completely free of Campylobacter 1 wk but entirely colonized by the next week. This study showed the incidence and level of Campylobacter transmission to pen mates of various ages after exposure to a single colonized seeder bird. Approximately 1 wk after being housed in a pen with an inoculated seeder bird, all of the other birds became Campylobacter positive. This work emphasizes the importance of preventing all sources of Campylobacter from a flock, because a single colonized bird could infect an entire flock during the growout period.