Campylobacter jejuni strains of human and chicken origin are invasive in chickens after oral challenge

Avian Dis. 2006 Mar;50(1):10-4. doi: 10.1637/7376-051005R.1.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the colonizing ability and the invasive capacity of selected Campylobacter jejuni strains of importance for the epidemiology of C jejuni in Danish broiler chickens. Four C. jejuni strains were selected for experimental colonization studies in day-old and 14-day-old chickens hatched from specific pathogen free (SPF) eggs. Of the four C. jejuni strains tested, three were Penner heat-stable serotype 2, flaA type 1/1, the most common type found among broilers and human cases in Denmark. The fourth strain was Penner heat-stable serotype 19, which has been shown to be associated with the Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS) in humans. The minimum dose for establishing colonization in the day-old chickens was approximately 2 cfu, whereas two- to threefold higher doses were required for establishing colonization in the 14-day-old chickens. Two of the C. jejuni strains were shown to be invasive in orally challenged chickens as well as in three different human epithelial cell lines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Campylobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Campylobacter Infections / transmission
  • Campylobacter Infections / veterinary*
  • Campylobacter jejuni / isolation & purification
  • Campylobacter jejuni / pathogenicity
  • Campylobacter jejuni / physiology*
  • Cell Line
  • Chickens / microbiology*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Poultry Diseases / microbiology*
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms