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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #191544
Title: EFFICACY OF IRON CHELATORS ON CAMPYLOBACTER CONCENTRATIONS IN TURKEY SEMEN

Author
item COLE, KIM - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Donoghue, Ann - Annie
item REYES-HERRERA, I - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Rath, Narayan
item DONOGHUE, DAN - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2006
Publication Date: 8/1/2006
Citation: Cole, K., Donoghue, A.M., Reyes-Herrera, I., Rath, N.C., Donoghue, D.J. 2006. Efficacy of iron chelators on campylobacter concentrations in turkey semen. Poultry Science. 85:1462-1465.

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter is a leading bacterial cause of human food borne infections in the United States. Recent studies suggest that the organism is highly prevalent in poultry semen and may contribute to vertical transmission between the breeder hen and offspring. As Campylobacter requires iron for its growth and survival, the objective of this study was to determine if the addition of natural and synthetic chelators could reduce or eliminate Campylobacter in turkey semen. Pooled semen samples were collected from tom turkeys, diluted with a commercial poultry semen extender supplemented with chelators and inoculated with a wild-type Campylobacter. One of the chelators reduced Campylobacter concentrations when compared to the positive controls. Sperm viability was also reduced with this treatment and therefore the use of this treatment may not be a practical treatment for reducing Campylobacter in poultry semen.

Technical Abstract: Campylobacter is a leading bacterial cause of human food borne infections in the United States. Recent studies suggest that the organism is highly prevalent in poultry semen and may contribute to vertical transmission between the breeder hen and offspring. As Campylobacter requires iron for its growth and survival, the objective of this study was to determine if the addition of natural and synthetic chelators such as ovotransferrin, Desferal®, EDTA, or 2,2'-dipyridyl could reduce or eliminate Campylobacter in turkey semen. In a preliminary study without semen, a commercial poultry semen extender was supplemented with various concentrations of ovotransferrin, Desferal®, EDTA, or 2, 2'-dipyridyl and inoculated with an average of 10**8 cfu/mL of a wild-type C. coli turkey semen isolate. At 6 and 24 h of storage at 4C, a sample was taken from each treatment group and enumerated for Campylobacter. In all three trials, Campylobacter was undetectable (<10**2) in the commercial poultry semen extender supplemented with 20 mg/mL of 2,2'-dipyridyl. There were no differences observed in Campylobacter concentrations in the commercial poultry semen extender supplemented with ovotransferrin, Desferal®, or EDTA compared to unsupplemented controls. In a follow-up study, pooled semen samples were randomly collected from toms, diluted with a commercial poultry semen extender supplemented with 5, 10 or 20 mg/mL 2,2'-dipyridyl and inoculated with an average of 10**8 cfu/mL of a wild-type C. coli turkey semen isolate. At 6 and 24 h of storage at 4C, samples were taken from each treatment group, enumerated for Campylobacter and evaluated for sperm viability. In all three trials, supplementing the commercial poultry semen extender with 20 mg/mL of 2,2'-dipyryidyl significantly reduced (3-4 logs) Campylobacter concentrations when compared to the positive controls. Sperm viability was also reduced with this treatment and therefore the use of 2,2'-dipyridyl may not be a practical treatment for reducing Campylobacter in poultry semen.