[Campylobacter infection and Campylobacter excretion in turkeys]

Five turkey poults at an age of 27 days were infected with Campylobacter jejuni strain. Additional five poults were infected by contact. Turkeys infected by contact and artificially were necropsied 1 and 3 months later, respectively. The histological examination of the liver revealed degenerative changes in contact birds and a proliferation of the connective tissue and bile-ducts in two of the oral infected poults. Campylobacter spp. were excreted daily during the first two weeks and afterwards with interruptions of several days. The excretion lasted until the end of the experiment between day 86 and 98. The excretion period, which is prolonged compared with that of chickens may be of particular importance under aspects of epizootiology and food hygiene.