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The overall aim of the project is to increase the current understanding of the epidemiology of Campylobacter infection in poultry and by doing so, develop procedures and methods to reduce the occurrence of Campylobacter in finished poultry and poultry products.
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The main objectives within the project are:
<OL> <LI> Development of improved cultural and non-cultural detection methods,
<LI>Assessment and development of improved molecular typing methods
<LI>Cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies of Campylobacter infection in commercial broilers
<LI>Intervention studies to assess possible control strategies.
Progress: This project is aimed at using epidemiological studies, backed up by modern molecular typing methods, to identify risk factors and sources, which contribute to the occurrence of Campylobacter infection in commercial broiler flocks in Northern Ireland. Using the information gained from these studies, improved control measures are being developed and where appropriate their effectiveness tested in formal intervention studies. Work on cultural and non-cultural Campylobacter detection methods has also been included in the project and has been used to help formulate possible surveillance strategies.
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The analysis of the epidemiological data to date has identified broiler staff working with other farmed species and the absence of specific biosecurity precautions as significant risk factors. The work has also shown that partial depopulation (‘thinning’) represents a important potential route of introduction of infection. Longitudinal studies have shown significant evidence of consistency of infection on individual sites with approximately one-third of sites surveyed over a one year period having a zero or low prevalence of positive flocks pre-thinning. Further analysis of the data generated by these studies on on-going.
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Optimal protocols for ribotyping using selected restriction enzymes have been successfully developed and the methodology validated as an effective molecular typing approach. The technique has been applied to detailed field studies on a small number of farms and has shown the occurrence of shared genotypes between Campylobacter isolates from poultry flocks, environmental and other livestock sources. Practical steps to improve biosecurity on farms have been designed and these are being tested during the final year of this project.
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