Campylobacter contamination in French chicken production from farm to consumers. Use of a PCR assay for detection and identification of Campylobacterjejuni and Camp. coli

Aims: Campylobacter contamination in French chicken production from the far m to the consumer was determined using a PCR assay for bacteria detection a nd identification. Methods and Results: Samples were bird droppings from poultry houses, neck skins, livers, hearts, gizzards, wings, legs and escalopes from slaughterho uses and gizzards, legs, drumstick, breast and escalopes from a supermarket . Bacterial DNA extraction was performed after an enrichment step in a brot h and was followed by PCR. An internal control (IC) was used for both DNA e xtraction and PCR. Campylobacter were detected in 79.2% of poultry houses. Of the 303 samples, 201 were Campylobacter-positive (i.e. 66.3%) including 43.2% faecal samples, 5.6% slaughterhouse samples and 17.5% supermarket sam ples. There was no significant difference between the molecular method and the conventional culture technique for Campylobacter detection whatever the samples. The sensitivity was 5 UFC g(-1) of samples and 1.5 x 10(3) UFC ml (-1) of enrichment broth. The use of IC revealed PCR inhibition in 13 sampl es and problems in the DNA extraction in five samples. Conclusions: Significant Campylobacter contamination affects all stages of French chicken production. Significance and Impact of the Study: The understanding of Campylobacter co ntamination at different levels of chicken production and the determination of the best place(s) for intervention are important for significantly decr easing Campylobacteriosis. Our technique is rapid and can be used on differ ent chicken samples for Campylobacter detection and identification.