Risk factors for Campylobacter spp. contamination in French broiler-chicken flocks at the end of the rearing period

Our objectives were to identify risk factors for contamination of French br oiler flocks by Campylobacter. We used 75 broiler farms in western France. A questionnaire was administered to the farmers and samples of fresh droppi ngs were taken to assess the Campylobacter status of the broiler flocks. 42 .7% of the flocks were positive for Campylobacter spp. The risk of contamin ation of the broiler flocks by Campylobacter was increased in summer/autumn , in houses with static air distribution, when two or more people took care of the flock, in poultry farms with three or more houses and when the drin king water for the chickens was acidified. The presence of litter-beetles i n the change room also increased the risk of contamination. The administrat ion of an antibiotic treatment following a disease decreased the risk of a flock being contaminated by Campylobacter. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. A ll rights reserved.