ARS | Publication request: RECOVERY OF CAMPYLOBACTER FROM THE BURSA OF VENT INOCULATED BROILER CHICKS

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 30, 2004
Publication Date: May 30, 2004
Citation: Musgrove, M.T., Tankson, J.D., Cox Jr, N.A., Vizzier, Y., Cray, P.J., Buhr, R.J., Wilosn, J.L. 2004. Recovery of campylobacter from the bursa of vent inoculated broiler chicks. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 80:101.

Technical Abstract: Bacteria can be readily isolated from the bursa of Fabricius of broiler chickens. However, no published information is available on presence or levels of Campylobacter spp. in the bursa. An experiment was performed to determine if vent inoculated Campylobacter could be recovered from the bursa. Day old chicks were vent inoculated with 10 l of a suspension containing either 0, 100 or 1,000,000 cells of Campylobacter spp. Following inoculation, birds were euthanized by cervical dislocation. Pressure was applied to the abdominal region to expel any feces or meconium in the large intestine. A lysol solution was then used to disinfect the lower half of the birds body. Down was plucked from between the pygostle and the vent before the bursa was aseptically removed. After the outer surface of each bursa was disinfected with 70% ethanol, the organ was opened and the mucosal surface was sampled with a small cotton swab or an inoculation loop. Using sterile scissors, the tip of the swab or loop was clipped off into 1 ml of Bolton's broth or sterile saline in a 24-well tissue culture plate. Each of the well's was directly plated onto Campy-cefex agar. Bolton broth well's were incubated prior to plating onto Campy-cefex agar. Broths and plates were incubated in microaerobic atmosphere at 42 C for 48 h. Presumptive Campylobacter colonies were counted and converted to log10 cfu / ml of diluent/broth. Birds in trial one were euthanized and sampled five min. after inoculation. On average 3 log cfu / ml of diluent were recovered from loops and bursa. In the second trial, birds were allowed to live an hour after inoculation. Average recovery levels were 2.6 log cfu / ml diluent for loop scrapings and 2.1 log cfu / ml bursa rinse. These results indicate that Campylobacter spp. which come into contact with the vent may enter and subsequently be isolated from the bursa of Fabricius of broiler chicks.