Objective-To compare efficacy of 2 commercial ovine Campylobacter vaccines and an experimental bacterin in guinea pigs following IP inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni IA3902. Animals-51 female guinea pigs. Procedures-Pregnant and nonpregnant animals were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups and administered a commercial Campylobacter vaccine labeled for prevention of campylobacteriosis in sheep via two 5-mL doses 14 days apart (vaccine A; n = 13), another labeled for prevention of campylobacteriosis via two 2-mL doses (vaccine B; 12), an experimental bacterin prepared from the challenge strain (12), or a sham vaccine (14). Ten days later, animals were challenged IP with C jejuni IA3902; 48 hours later, animals were euthanized, complete necropsy was performed, and blood and tissue samples were obtained for bacteriologic culture. Results-Administration of vaccine B or the experimental bacterin, but not vaccine A, significantly reduced 48-hour infection rates versus administration of the sham vaccine. A significantly reduced 48-hour infection rate was associated with administration of vaccine B independent of pregnancy status. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Administration of vaccine B significantly reduced infection in guinea pigs challenged with C jejuni IA3902, similar to a homologous bacterin. Results suggested that vaccine B or an autogenous product may be effective in controlling ovine campylobacteriosis caused by this emergent abortifacient strain. Bacteriologic culture of blood, liver, bile, and uterus in nonpregnant guinea pigs 48 hours after inoculation may be a useful screening tool for comparing efficacy of C jejuni vaccines.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of 3 diet formulations containing different protein sources (animal, plant, and a combination of animal and plant) on the colonization of Campylobacter jejuni in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens. A freshly isolated strain of C. jejuni (biotype IV, serotype HS O:21, O:29, HL untypable) from a broiler chicken was used to infect 3-day-old chicks that had been free of C. jejuni; 0.5 mL of an inoculum containing 108 colony-forming units was administered orally. Shedding of the organism was studied, and C. jejuni in the ceca, jejuni, and crop were enumerated by quantitative culture. The isolates recovered from the birds during the study period of 35 d were characterized and confirmed as C. jejuni by the use of standard methods and underwent biotyping, serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disk diffusion and the E-test, and flagellin gene typing. A cyclical pattern of shedding of C. jejuni was observed in all the birds. Colonization was highest in the ceca. The ceca of birds receiving plant-protein-based feed had significantly less colonization then the ceca of birds receiving the other types of feed, whereas the differences in colonization of the jejuni and crops were not significant. Characterization by biotyping, serotyping, and flagellin gene typing showed that 95% of the recovered isolates were identical to the strain used for infecting the chicks. However, with the Lior-HL typing scheme, 74% of the recovered isolates were HL untypable. Antimicrobial resistance testing did not reveal significant differences between the infecting strain and the recovered isolates among the different feed groups.

Twenty-four isolates representing 6 species of Campylobacter were screened for plasmids. A large plasmid with an approximate molecular weight of 38 Mdal was detected in 5 C jejuni isolates originally recovered from diarrheic human beings, in one isolate of C coli recovered from diarrheic pigs, and in 1 isolate of C sputorum ssp mucosalis and 2 isolates of C hyointestinalis recovered from pigs with proliferative enteritis. One isolate of C coli and 1 isolate of C hyointestinalis contained an additional smaller plasmid with an approximate molecular weight of 1.6 Mdal; this plasmid was partially mapped by restriction endonuclease digestion. Fifteen Campylobacter isolates contained no detectable plasmids: 2 C coli, 2 C sputorum ssp mucosalis, 2 C fecalis, 1 C fetus ssp fetus, and 8 C hyointestinalis isolates. In summary, 37.5% of the Campylobacter isolates contained a 38-Mdal plasmid, with 8% having both 38 Mdal and 1.6-Mdal plasmids; 62.5% contained no detectable plasmids.

Feral pigeons (Columbia livia) can harbor a range of zoonotic pathogens. A transversal study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of feral pigeons infected by various pathogens in public areas in Montreal, Quebec. Cloacal swabs from captured birds were cultured for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. and tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of Coxiella burnetii. An oropharyngeal swab was also submitted to real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) for the detection of Newcastle disease virus. Among the 187 pigeons tested from 10 public areas, 9.1% (95% CI: 3.0 to 15.2) were positive for Campylobacter spp. with all strains identified as Campylobacter jejuni. The Campylobacter status of birds was not associated with individual characteristics of birds, with the exception of body score. None of the pigeons tested positive for the other pathogens. Direct or indirect contacts with feral pigeons may constitute a potential risk for Campylobacter infection in humans.

The objective of this study was to estimate the presence of the important foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni in organically raised chickens in the province of Quebec. The recovered isolates were further characterized for their antimicrobial resistance profile, autoagglutination property and chemotaxis. Antimicrobial resistance was evaluated using agar dilution for: tetracycline, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, clindamycin, ampicillin, azithromycin, bacitracin, and ceftiofur. Autoagglutination was measured by monitoring optical density changes in a bacterial suspension after 3 h of incubation at room temperature. Chemotaxis was evaluated after a contact time of 3 h between isolates and mucin, using a quantitative protocol. A total of 10 lots of chickens was sampled in August and September 2009; half of them were positive for the presence of C. jejuni. Antimicrobial resistance was found only for tetracycline (44%), erythromycin (6%), azithromycin (6%) and clindamycin (2%). Variation was observed in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for ceftiofur and bacitracin, for which C. jejuni possess intrinsic resistance. Autoagglutination and chemotaxis varied among isolates and lot-level differences in these were observed. Autoagglutination and chemotaxis levels appeared as independent isolate properties. Further monitoring and characterization of isolates originating from organic chickens is of interest since this type of production might represent another source of exposure of consumers to a variety of the foodborne pathogen C. jejuni.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of tulathromycin for prevention of abortion in pregnant ewes when administered within 24 hours after experimental inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni. ANIMALS 20 pregnant ewes between 72 and 92 days of gestation. PROCEDURES All ewes were inoculated with a field strain of C jejuni (8.5 × 108 to 10.6 × 108 CFUs, IV). Eighteen hours later, ewes received either tulathromycin (1.1 mL/45 kg [2.4 mg/kg], SC; n = 10) or sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (1.1 mL/45 kg, SC; sham; 10). Ewes were euthanized immediately after observation of vaginal bleeding, abortion, or completion of a 21-day observation period. Necropsy was performed on all ewes, and tissue specimens were obtained for bacterial culture and histologic examination. RESULTS 1 sham-treated ewe and 1 tulathromycin-treated ewe developed signs of severe endotoxemia and were euthanized within 24 hours after C jejuni inoculation. Seven sham-treated and 2 tulathromycin-treated ewes developed vaginal bleeding or aborted and were euthanized between 4 and 21 days after C jejuni inoculation. The proportion of tulathromycin-treated ewes that developed vaginal bleeding or aborted during the 21 days after C jejuni inoculation (2/9) was significantly less than that for the sham-treated ewes (7/9). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that administration of tulathromycin to pregnant ewes following exposure to C jejuni was effective in decreasing the number of C jejuni–induced abortions. Because of concerns regarding the development of macrolide resistance among Campylobacter strains, prophylactic use of tulathromycin in sheep is not recommended.

Rectal swab specimens were collected from 362 apparently healthy dogs of different origin, age, breed, and sex. Specimens were obtained in summer, autumn, and winter. Ninety-five thermophilic Campylobacter spp were isolated: C jejuni biotype I, n = 57, C jejuni biotype II, n = 1, C coli, n = 36, and C laridis, n = 1. Biotypes of C jejuni recovered were the same as those associated with Campylobacter-induced enteritis in human beings. Prevalence of C jejuni was significantly (P < 0.05) greater: in dogs < 6 months old than in adult dogs; in dogs living under high density and cohabitation housing conditions for long periods; and in autumn.

Campylobacter jejuni A74/O and A74/C are congenic strains. An oral dose of 10(5) organisms of strain A74/C colonizes chicken intestines. Strain A74/O, from which A74/C is derived, does not colonize the chicken intestines with an oral dose of 10(5) organisms. In this study, the congenic bacteria were compared to identify possible colonization mechanisms. Differences were not observed in plasmid content or by HindIII, Pst I, Acc I, HincII, Ava I, Ava II, Xba I, and BamHI restriction enzyme digestion of total DNA. Transmission electron microscopy of negatively stained samples revealed no differences between the strains. Sections of cecal tissue from nonfed day-of-hatch chicks were cultured with each strain for 2 hours and then examined by light and electron microscopy. Both strains caused necrosis of villus epithelial cells. Immunofluorescent or silver staining revealed strain A74/C located deep in numerous epithelial crypts, but strain A74/O only was present in one sample mixed with sloughed necrotic cells. Similarly, organisms were detected by transmission electron microscopy deep in crypts in tissues cultured with A74/C, but not A74/O. Cells of A74/C detected in crypts did not appear to associate with epithelial cells. The strains did not differ in chemotactic behavior to mucin or fucose.