Effect of oral administration of bismuth compounds on Campylobacter colonization in broilers

Bismuth compounds have been used since the 18th century to treat gastrointestinal ailments in man. Colloidal bismuth subcitrate (De-Nol) is currently used in combination with antibiotics to reduce enteric Helicobacter pylori colonization as a treatment of stomach ulcers. We investigated whether bismuth citrate or its parent compound, colloidal bismuth subcitrate, would reduce colonization of the closely related foodborne pathogen, Campylobacter jejuni in chickens. In 2 studies, birds were either fed 0, 50, or 200 ppm bismuth citrate or bismuth subcitrate (De-Nol) for 10 or 21 d and were orally challenged with 7 combined strains of C. jejuni (n = 6 birds/treatment). For both treatment groups, cecal Campylobacter colonization was reduced when birds were fed 200 ppm for 10 d but not 21 d. For the 50 ppm treatment group, only birds dosed with bismuth citrate for 21 d demonstrated any reduction in cecal Campylobacter concentrations when compared with controls. These data suggest that bismuth citrate and colloidal bismuth subcitrate may reduce cecal colonization by Campylobacter in broilers, but these effects are inconsistent.