Increasing Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni in Feedlot Cattle through the Feeding Period

Abstract

The prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni in commercial feedlot cattle was monitored throughout the feeding period by repeated bacteriologic culture of feces. Fecal pats (n ‫؍‬ 10) in 20 feedlot pens were sampled at 2-weeks interval beginning at entry into the feedlot and continuing until slaughter. The least-squares mean C. jejuni prevalence increased from 1.6% at the first sampling to 61.3% at the final sampling just prior to slaughter. Diverse C. jejuni pulsed-field gel electrophoresis macrorestriction profiles (MRP) were identified among the cattle isolates, but five prevalent MRP and minor variants accounted for >80% of all typed isolates. Chlorination of the water supplied to the water troughs of half of the pens did not affect C. jejuni prevalence in the cattle. Overall, the least-squares mean C. jejuni prevalences were 45.6 and 43.6% in chlorinated and nonchlorinated feedlot pens, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate apparent transmission of C. jejuni among feedlot cattle during the feeding period, unaffected by water chlorination, resulting in a high prevalence of C. jejuni excretion by cattle approaching slaughter.

Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in Cattle in Finland and Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Bovine Campylobacter jejuni Strains

“…This has been seen in other studies with other typing methods as well (2,6,48) and also in regard to C. jejuni isolates from chickens, sheep, turkeys, water, and human cases (9,13,38). A wide variation of SmaI subtypes could be observed among the isolates representing the most common serotype, Pen2.…”

“…The coexistence of two or three unrelated C. jejuni subtypes or different Campylobacter species in the samples from a farm was observed in few cases. These observations might suggest animalto-animal transmission or one or a small number of common sources of contamination (6,36). Closely related isolates were rarely detected on a farm, which may reflect either the genetic instability of the strains or the temporary colonization of the animals.…”

Genomics-Based Molecular Epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Feedlot Cattle and from People in Alberta, Canada

“…Campylobacter jejuni is of public health significance as the most common Campylobacter species isolated from human cases (approximately 85%) (28). Recent Alberta feedlot cattle fecal studies have determined a large proportion (32 to 69%) of Campylobacter-positive samples to be C. jejuni (2,15,19,21), reinforcing the need for continued research into the potential importance of cattle as reservoirs for these human pathogens.…”

Risk Factors for Campylobacteriosis in Two Washington State Counties with High Numbers of Dairy Farms

“…(16). In a longitudinal feedlot study, the per-animal prevalence increased with time in the feedlot, from 1.6% to 61.3% just before slaughter (17). Domestic cattle, including both feedlot and dairy cattle, therefore may represent a significant reservoir for this human pathogen.…”