According to the World Health Organization, Campylobacter jejuni ranks as the top cause of food-borne bacterial diarrhoeal disease in the developed world, with chicken serving as the most common source of infection.
While generally mild, C. jejuni infections can be fatal among the very young, elderly, and immunosuppressed individuals. At one time, C. jejuni was thought to be part of a normal microbial community in chickens. However, it is now understood that birds have a strong inflammatory response to C. jejuni.
The infection causes diar-rhoea, which can increase the risk of footpad lesions as the result of standing on wet litter. In addition to improve processing plant sanitation, on-farm strategies – such as biosecurity measures and litter management best practices – can also be used to help reduce the risk of human pathogen exposure.
