Abstract
ABSTRACTCampylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial food-borne infection; chicken meat is its main source. C. jejuni is considered commensal in chickens based on experimental models unrepresentative of commercial production. Here we show that the paradigm of Campylobacter commensalism in the chicken is flawed. Through experimental infection of four commercial breeds of broiler chickens, we show that breed has a significant effect on C. jejuni infection and the immune response of the animals, although these factors have limited impact on the number of bacteria in chicken ceca. All breeds mounted an innate immune response. In some breeds, this response declined when interleukin-10 was expressed, consistent with regulation of the intestinal inflammatory response, and these birds remained healthy. In another breed, there was a prolonged inflammatory response, evidence of damage to gut mucosa, and diarrhea. We show that bird type has a major impact on infection biology of C. jejuni. In some breeds, infection leads to disease, and the bacterium cannot be considered a harmless commensal. These findings have implications for the welfare of chickens in commercial production where C. jejuni infection is a persistent problem.
Highlights
Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequent cause of food-borne bacterial gastroenteritis in the world, estimated to infect 1% of the European Union (EU) population each year
While the possibility of this response involving some interaction with other bacteria in the intestinal microbiota cannot be ruled out, it is clear that the infection with C. jejuni is essential in causing the inflammation described
Detailed examination of responses to infection in four broiler breeds found that C. jejuni M1 elicited an inflammatory innate immune response in the intestinal tract, which led to a specific antibody response
Summary
Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequent cause of food-borne bacterial gastroenteritis in the world, estimated to infect 1% of the European Union (EU) population each year. Pododermatitis or foot pad dermatitis is a thickening (keratitis) and discoloration of the foot pad and in more severe cases, lesions of the foot pad of the bird caused through poorquality or wet litter with high ammonia content These conditions are more common in the faster-growing broilers, as is Campylobacter infection [11, 12]. Colles et al [13] found an association between hock marks and Campylobacter infection in a freerange flock in the United Kingdom Conditions such as hock marks and pododermatitis can be indicative of poor gut health, leading to wet feces and poor-quality litter that in turn lead to damage of the feet and lower legs of the chickens. We hypothesize that in some modern broiler breeds, C. jejuni infection compromises gut health, leading to diarrhea, which indirectly, through wet litter, causes leg health problems in these birds These conditions are a major bird welfare issue in international chicken production. The aims of the work presented here were to identify mechanisms underlying the observed differences in broiler types in their responses to C. jejuni and to examine the impact of infection on gut health and animal welfare
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