Occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in organised layer farms and associated environmental samples of Central Kerala

Abstract

Campylobacteriosis caused by Campylobacter spp. is the prime cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Chicken and other poultry birds act as the major reservoir for Campylobacter and thereby play a crucial role in the transmission of this zoonotic disease to humans. The current investigation was undertaken to study the occurrence of Campylobacter in organised layer farms and their associated environmental samples. A total of 260 samples comprising of cloacal swabs, feed, litter, soil, water and handwash of personnel were collected from two organised layer farms of Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. Isolation and identification of the organism by conventional culture technique followed by molecular confirmation of Campylobacter isolates using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) revealed an overall occurrence of 17.31 per cent in layer farms. Majority of the isolates obtained in the study were C. jejuni (75.6 per cent) followed by C. coli (24.4 per cent). In the current scenario, where the consumer demand for chicken meat and eggs is continuously increasing, the occurrence of Campylobacter in layer farms needs to be addressed seriously. Appropriate interventions and control measures at farm level and also across the poultry production chain is necessary to minimise the impact of the disease on human health and economy.