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Detection and Isolation of Campylobacter spp. from Raw Meat
Published on: February 23, 2024
Campylobacter jejuni strains compete for colonization in broiler chicks
Michael E Konkel1, Jeffrey E Christensen, A Singh Dhillon
1School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-4233, USA. konkel@wsu.edu
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|February 13, 2007
Summary
Campylobacter jejuni strains compete for gut colonization in chickens. High doses of one strain can inhibit another
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Animal Science
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Campylobacter jejuni utilizes adhesins for attachment to host epithelial cells.
- Adhesins are hypothesized to be shared among C. jejuni isolates, suggesting potential for competitive interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the competitive interactions between different C. jejuni strains for intestinal and cecal colonization in broiler chicks.
- To determine if C. jejuni strains compete for colonization sites, potentially influenced by adhesin sharing.
Main Methods:
- Two distinct C. jejuni strains were selected and rendered resistant to nalidixic acid and streptomycin, respectively.
- In vitro binding assays using LMH chicken epithelial cells were performed to assess strain adhesion and competitive inhibition.
- In vivo colonization efficiency was evaluated in broiler chickens by co-inoculating the resistant strains.
Main Results:
- In vitro, high doses of the streptomycin-resistant strain competitively inhibited the binding of the nalidixic acid-resistant strain to epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner.
- In vivo, the streptomycin-resistant strain significantly reduced the colonization efficiency of the nalidixic acid-resistant strain in the ceca of broiler chickens.
- Bacterial recovery data suggest host-imposed constraints may limit the maximum colonization levels in chicken digestive tracts.
Conclusions:
- C. jejuni strains exhibit competitive interactions for colonization in broiler chickens, supporting the hypothesis of shared adhesin roles.
- These findings suggest that competitive exclusion could be a basis for novel intervention strategies to reduce C. jejuni cecal colonization.
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