Indagine sulla colonizzazione da Campylobacter termofili in allevamenti di tacchini da carne: risultati preliminari.

Since epidemiology of thermophilic campylobacters in turkeys has been scarcely investigated, we carried out longitudinal studies aimed at identifying potential sources and vehicles of Campylobacter infection in commercial meat turkey farms. A preliminary sampling in turkey breeders flocks was carried out in order to detect a Campylobacter-positive flock. Then, a monitoring of 2 meat turkey farms rearing the progeny of the positive turkey breeders flocks was performed. Meconium was collected from day-old chicks at the hatchery and then faecal swabs were collected three times at the farm (at the beginning, middle and end of the production cycle). Farm sampling consisted of multiple drinking water samples, surface swabs, air, overshoe samples in the anteroom and inside the house, and insects. Sampling was also carried out during downtime. Isolation and identification of Campylobacter spp. were performed by a conventional culture method and a multiplex end-point PCR assay, respectively. Day-old chicks tested negative for thermophilic campylobacters, whereas C. jejuni and C. coli were subsequently isolated from birds throughout the entire cycle in all flocks except for one. Both Campylobacter species were also frequently isolated from drinkers, flies and lesser mealworms. Water, air from inside the house, and surface swabs were always negative. These findings suggest that vertical transmission could not be an important source of flock infection, whereas horizontal transmission should be considered the major route for colonization of turkeys, as campylobacters were found in several environmental sources.