Requirements to control Campylobacter infection in poultry: investigations of the role of immune responses and development of new prevention strategies

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Silke Rautenschlein, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 104754258

Campylobacteriosis is the most frequently reported bacterial food borne infection in Germany. It was demonstrated that poultry meat consumption was responsible for 42 % of the human campylobacteriosis cases. However, in poultry the organisms belong to the normal intestinal flora without inducing clinical disease. Therefore it proved to be difficult to eliminate Campylobacter from commercial poultry. On the other hand, risk analysis showed that reduction of poultry’s intestinal Campylobacter load will result in a marked decrease in human illness. Thus, concepts to minimize human campylobacteriosis should focus on the quantitative reduction of Campylobacter. So far, only scanty information exists concerning the differences between Campylobacter strains with respect to their persistence and shedding in relation to the induction of local and systemic immune reactions in chickens. Additionally, the role of innate immunity and cell induced mechanisms to control Campylobacter infections in birds still remains unknown, though being a prerequisite for the development of improved control strategies. The reduction of Campylobacter in all stages of the food production chain shall enable a more effective minimization. Since the use of bacteriophages seems possible on farm level as well as in the abattoir, their combined application’s success throughout the food production chain has to be evaluated. The objectives of the suggested research cooperation will be (1) to understand differences between Campylobacter strains regarding their colonization, shedding and elimination as well as carcass contamination in correlation to their local and systemic immune reactions; (2) to develop new control strategies on the basis of bacteriophage preparations in experimental Campylobacter challenge models and under field conditions in meat-type chickens.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Privatdozent Dr. Gerhard Glünder