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Campylobacter jejuni contamination of eggs

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Abstract

Contamination of commercial table eggs with a fecal suspension containing 4.4×106 CFU/gCampylobacter jejuni resulted in shell penetration in 3/70 eggs and recovery of the organism from homogenized egg contents in 1/70 eggs. Viability ofC. jejuni on the shell surface was retained for only 16 hours, attributed to desiccation of the fecal suspension. A field survey of three commercial laying farms and their associated egg-packing plants showed that hens demonstrated to be fecal shedders ofC. jejuni (12% to 62% incidence) did not produce infected eggs. The organism could not be detected in the environment of the packing plant, including grading machinery and effluent.

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Shane, S.M., Gifford, D.H. & Yogasundram, K. Campylobacter jejuni contamination of eggs. Vet Res Commun 10, 487–492 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02214012

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