Inhibition of colonisation of the alimentary tract in young chickens with Campylobacter jejuni by pre-colonisation with strains of C-jejuni

Strains of Campylobacter jejuni, isolated from human gastro-intestinal infe ction and inoculated orally into 1-day-old chicks, colonised the alimentary tract (caecum) well. There was evidence of invasion from the intestine to the spleen. Oral inoculation with some but not all strains of C. jejuni 24 h earlier (within 12 h of hatching) prevented establishment by challenge st rains administered orally 1 day later. One strain which was less able to co lonise the gut was less inhibitory than other strains. Precolonisation of n ewly hatched chicks with a strain of Salmonella typhimurium had no inhibito ry effect on establishment by the challenge strain of C. jejuni and may eve n have exacerbated it. Inhibition of multiplication of a nalidixic acid-res istant mutant of a C. jejuni strain was prevented when it was added to a st ationary-phase broth culture of the antibiotic-sensitive parent strain and the mixed culture re-incubated. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.