Prevalence and risk factors for Campylobacter infection of chicken in peri-urban areas of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Campylobacter species are the most common bacterial causes of human gastroenteritis worldwide. A cross sectional study was done to determine the prevalence of campylobacter in chicken and its associated risk factors in Nairobi between June and December 2015. Fifty six broiler chicken, one fifty four indigenous chicken and sixty two layers were included in the study. Cloacal swabs were obtained from live birds and campylobacter status of the birds was determined using culture and multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Data on potential risk factors was collected by administering questionnaires to farmers in farms where cloacal swab samples were obtained. The overall prevalence of campylobacter in this study was 69.5% with 91.07% in broiler chicken, 70.96% in layers and 61.04% in indigenous chickens. Approximately seventy seven percent (76.8%) of the isolates from broiler chicken were found to be C. jejuni and 14.3% were other Campylobacter species. No campylobacter isolates from broilers were C. coli. Thirty three percent (32.5 %) of the isolates from indigenous chicken were C. jejuni, 5.84 % were C. coli and 15.6% were other campylobacter species while 37.1 % of the isolates from layers were C. jejuni, 19.4% were C. coli and 9.7% were untypable campylobacter species. Logistic regression identified six variables as risk factors for campylobacter colonization. They included old age of poultry house (p=0.23), large number of birds kept (p=0.12), increasing age of sale of birds (p=0.01), type of rodent control (p=0.03), inadequate washing and disinfection of poultry house before restocking (p=0.004) and absence of a medicated footbath at the entrance into the poultry house (p=0.05). These findings show that there is a high prevalence of Campylobacter infection in all kinds of chicken. The use of disinfected footbath at the entrance to the chicken house, adequate cleaning and disinfection of the chicken house, drinkers and feeders and proper rodent control measures will reduce chances of campylobacter colonization in chickens. It was recommended that poultry farmers be educated on various insecurity measures that can reduce campylobacter infection in chicken at farm level and the consequences of such infection.