Campylobacter species occurrence within internal organs and tissues of commercial caged Leghorn laying hens

Campylobacter spp. are frequently present in the intestinal tract and internal tissues of broiler breeder and broiler chickens. Campylobacter spp. ecology in commercial Leghorn laying hens has not been extensively studied. The objectives of the current study were to determine 1) Campylobacter spp. presence in the reproductive tract, lymphoid organs, liver-gallbladder, and ceca of commercial Leghorn laying hens; 2) species of Campylobacter present; and 3) antimicrobial resistance pattern of Campylobacter isolates. In study 1, three flocks ranging from 94 to 105 wk of age were sampled from a commercial laying complex. In study 2, two flocks, 82 and 84 wk of age, were sampled from a separate complex. Hens were killed, defeathered, aseptically necropsied, and the spleen, liver-gallbladder, ovarian follicles, and upper (infundibulum, magnum, and isthmus) and lower (shell gland and vagina) reproductive tracts were aseptically removed before the ceca. Samples were packed on ice and transported to the laboratory for evaluation. For speciation, a standard BAX real-time PCR method was used while susceptibility testing was performed using US National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) standards and recommended quality control organisms. Isolates were examined for susceptibility using a semi-automated testing system (Sensititer) to the following 9 antimicrobials: azithromycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, florfenicol, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, telithromycin, and tetracycline. In study 1, the isolation rate was 13, 67, 53, 3, 13, and 57% from the ovarian follicles, lower reproductive tract, upper reproductive tract, spleen, liver-gallbladder, and ceca, respectively. In study 2, the isolation rate was 17, 43, 33, 20, 17, and 73% from the ovarian follicles, lower reproductive tract, upper reproductive tract, spleen, liver-gallbladder, and ceca, respectively. Overall, 50% of isolates were Campylobacter jejuni, 49% Campylobacter coli, and 1% Campylobacter lari. In study 1, all of the isolates were pan-susceptible. In study 2, thirty-seven percent of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline. Commercial table egg laying hens housed in colony cages on wire floors had diverse Campylobacter spp. recovered from different tissues and these isolates were not resistant to a broad range of antimicrobials.