Projects / Programmes
Use of probiotics to control contamination of poultry farms with campylobacters and salmonella
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 4.04.02 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Veterinarian medicine |
Animal pathology and epizootiology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B230 |
Biomedical sciences |
Microbiology, bacteriology, virology, mycology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 4.03 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Veterinary science |
Campylobacter sp., Salmonella Infantis, poultry, probiotic bacteria, gut microbiota, food safety
Researchers (23)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. are the main causative agents of bacterial foodborne enteric diseases in humans worldwide. Poultry is an important reservoir of these bacteria and the main source of infections for humans is the poultry meat. Several approaches are used in veterinary medicine aiming to reduce the colonization of poultry gut with these bacteria and, by following the good hygiene practices, to prevent the faecal contamination of poultry carcasses in slaughterhouses. The biosafety measures to prevent the introduction of salmonellae and campylobacters into the farms are not feasible in the countries with a high prevalence of these pathogens. An alternative approach is the use of probiotics in poultry production, which are added to feed and water or into the farm environment. Probiotics inhibit the pathogenic microbes and provide a favourable equilibrium between the commensals and pathogens in the animal gut. In addition, probiotics improve the absorption of nutrients and therefore the body weight gain of animals and the gut immunity. The use of probiotics also affects the meat quality and safety which is necessary from the viewpoint of assuring safe food for the consumers.
Slovenia has a high prevalence of campylobacters in broiler flocks (approx. 70 %). As in other European countries, the prevalence of S. Infantis is increasing both in humans and in poultry. S. Infantis is often multidrug resistant and is able to persist in the farm environment due to biofilm formation.
The effect and influence of probiotic preparations on broiler gut microbiota and the host-pathogen interactions are poorly understood. By using the metagenomic approach, the aim of this project is to study the gut microbiota of broilers from the flocks contaminated by campylobacters and/or S. Infantis in relation to different application regimens of two probiotic preparations. The objective is to investigate if the intestinal microbiota influences the susceptibility of broilers for the colonization with campylobacters and salmonellae from the farm environment and to study the role of probiotics in the regulation of this colonization.
The control of these pathogens, which do not cause any disease in poultry, is urgent in the scope of food safety. Thus, the influence of probiotics will be evaluated also in the slaughterhouse by enumeration of campylobacters and S. Infantis on the carcasses of broilers from the flocks receiving the probiotics and from the flocks without them.
New knowledge about the influence of probiotics on the chicken gut microbiota and on the presence of campylobacters and S. Infantis in the chicken intestinal tract and the carcasses will be used for the preparation of recommendations for the poultry industry. These recommendations will include a decrease in the use of antibiotics, leading to a decreased danger for the emergence of resistant strains in order to produce safe and quality food. The influence of probiotics on S. Infantis will represent an original contribution to the science.
Significance for science
The results obtained within this project will provide novel insights regarding the influence of probiotics on the composition of the gut microbiota of broilers and the presence of campylobacters and S. Infantis in the animal feces and on the carcasses of broilers after slaughter. Consequently, a possible direct beneficial effect of probiotics on the food safety will be confirmed, which has been poorly studied until now.
S. Infantis is the most prevalent Salmonella serovar in broiler flocks and in poultry meat and is on the rise in the EU and worldwide. The influence of probiotics on the prevalence of S. Infantis in poultry will be an important original contribution to science as there are no publications in this field yet.
This project is in agreement with the following two paragraphs of the call for project proposal:
JPI FACCE (Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change)
One of the main concerns of poultry production is the prevention of diseases in poultry flocks and the production of safe – microbiologically unquestionable food. With the use of probiotics, which would be added to the animal drinking water and feed and directly to the farm environment, the project aims to prevent the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in poultry flocks and thus the contamination of poultry meat. By reducing the costs in the poultry industry, the production of competitive, high-quality and safe food for the consumer would be ensured.
JPI AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance)
An important cost in the poultry production is the use of antibiotics, which also represents a risk for the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. In addition, the employed antimicrobial agents are deposited in the environment through animal excretions, which can also pose a threat to humans. Interactions between bacteria and antibiotics in the environment can lead to the development of resistant bacterial populations that can be transmitted from the environment into the food chain. It is expected that the use of probiotics will alter the intestinal microbiota of chickens in such a manner that the animals will be less susceptible to pathogenic bacteria. Consequently, this would lead towards decreasing the consumption of antibiotics and reducing the risk of development of the antimicrobial resistance.
Significance for the country
The results obtained within this project will provide novel insights regarding the influence of probiotics on the composition of the gut microbiota of broilers and the presence of campylobacters and S. Infantis in the animal feces and on the carcasses of broilers after slaughter. Consequently, a possible direct beneficial effect of probiotics on the food safety will be confirmed, which has been poorly studied until now.
S. Infantis is the most prevalent Salmonella serovar in broiler flocks and in poultry meat and is on the rise in the EU and worldwide. The influence of probiotics on the prevalence of S. Infantis in poultry will be an important original contribution to science as there are no publications in this field yet.
This project is in agreement with the following two paragraphs of the call for project proposal:
JPI FACCE (Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change)
One of the main concerns of poultry production is the prevention of diseases in poultry flocks and the production of safe – microbiologically unquestionable food. With the use of probiotics, which would be added to the animal drinking water and feed and directly to the farm environment, the project aims to prevent the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in poultry flocks and thus the contamination of poultry meat. By reducing the costs in the poultry industry, the production of competitive, high-quality and safe food for the consumer would be ensured.
JPI AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance)
An important cost in the poultry production is the use of antibiotics, which also represents a risk for the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. In addition, the employed antimicrobial agents are deposited in the environment through animal excretions, which can also pose a threat to humans. Interactions between bacteria and antibiotics in the environment can lead to the development of resistant bacterial populations that can be transmitted from the environment into the food chain. It is expected that the use of probiotics will alter the intestinal microbiota of chickens in such a manner that the animals will be less susceptible to pathogenic bacteria. Consequently, this would lead towards decreasing the consumption of antibiotics and reducing the risk of development of the antimicrobial resistance.
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