CONTROL OF SALMONELLA AND CAMPYLOBACTER IN POULTRY PRODUCTION - A SUMMARY OF WORK AT RUSSELL RESEARCH-CENTER

The primary mission of the USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultr y Microbiological Safety Research Unit is to develop technology preven ting commensal intestinal colonization of chickens by human bacterial enteropathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter. The different mechanisms of colonization and the wide variety of sources of these p athogens combined with the different factors that affect host suscepti bility to colonization indicate that a multifaceted research approach will be required to control Salmonella and Campylobacter during poultr y production. The working hypothesis is that only by delivering chicke ns free of Salmonella or Campylobacter to the processing plant can sig nificant reductions in the number and levels of contamination of chick ens leaving the plant with these pathogens be achieved. As the means a re developed to substantially reduce or eliminate the intestinal colon ization of chickens by these pathogens, the pathogen-free chickens can be delivered to the processing plant, thereby eliminating or at least reducing the prevalence and levels of Salmonella on processed broiler s.