HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hald, B. Articles by Bunkenborg, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hald, B. Articles by Bunkenborg, H.

Influxed Insects as Vectors for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in Danish Broiler Houses

B. Hald^*,1, H. Skovgård, K. Pedersen^*,2 and H. Bunkenborg

^* National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Hangøvej 2, DK-8200, Århus N, Denmark; University of Aarhus, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Integrated Pest Management, Research Centre Sorgenfri, Skovbrynet 14, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; and Danish Meat Association, Axeltorv 3, DK-1614 Copenhagen V, Denmark

¹ Corresponding author: bha{at}vet.dtu.dk

The vector potential of flies (Diptera: Brachycera) for spread of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli on 5 Danish broiler farms was evaluated in a longitudinal field study from April to November 2004. First, the prevalence of C. jejuni- and C. coli-positive flies was determined in 2,816 flies captured from farm surroundings. Each individual fly was macerated, preenriched in Bolton broth for 24 h at 42°C, streaked onto modified Campylobater blood-free selective agar and incubated under microaerobic conditions for 48 h at 42°C. Second, the influx of insects to broiler houses was estimated by trapping of insects (n = 5,936) in ventilation vents. In total, 31 flies (28 of which were of the Muscidae family) caught in farm surroundings were Campylobacter spp.-positive (C. jejuni, n = 7; C. coli, n = 23; other Campylobacter spp., n = 1). Musca domestica (L) (house fly) was more frequently (P < 0.0376) positive than other fly species collected. Other positive fly species were Stomoxys calcitrans (L) (stable fly; n = 4), Muscina stabulans (Fallén) (false stable fly; n = 1), Mesembrina meridiana (L) (noon fly; n = 1) and Hydrotaea sp. (black dump fly; n = 1). One Lucilia caesar (L) (green bottle fly) of the Calliphoridae family and 2 flies of unidentified species were also positive. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp.-positive flies varied from 0.0 in April to a peak of 16.3% in July and decreasing to 2.0% in October on a farm with pig production. On 4 broiler farms without other livestock, the prevalence was constantly below 1.0%. The average influx of insects per broiler rotation was estimated to be 30,728 ± 2,443 SE (range 2,233 to 180,300), of which 21.4% were flies. The influx of insects correlated with the flow (m³/h) of ventilation air (P < 0.0078) and with the outdoor temperature (P < 0.0032). We conclude that the influx of large numbers of flies to broiler houses constitutes a considerable risk for infection of broilers with C. jejuni and C. coli.

Key Words: flies • Musca domestica • insect vector • Campylobacter spp. • broiler

² Present address: University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Stigbøjlen 7, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.