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Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterizations of Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from the Broiler Meat Production Process

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Abstract

A set of C. jejuni isolates of different origins and flaA-genotypes obtained throughout the broiler meat production chain was tested in this study for a possible correlation of their origin, phylogenetic relationship, and phenotypic properties. Interestingly, the results showed a correlation of the origin and the phylogenetic relationship between the C. jejuni isolates and their ability to form biofilm, but not in their ability to survive at −18, 5, 20, and 48 °C. Two strains, a broiler cloacae isolate and a broiler fillet isolate, were unable to develop biofilm, while most of the C. jejuni isolates originating from meat and surfaces of the slaughterhouse readily formed biofilms after both 24, 48, and 72 h. Interestingly, these biofilm-forming strains were closely related. Furthermore, two strains that were isolated after disinfection developed significantly more biofilms after 24 h of incubation than the remaining strains. A comparative genomic analysis using DNA microarrays showed that the gene contents of strains that efficiently formed biofilms were different from those that did not. The study suggests that biofilm formation might be a lineage specific property, allowing C. jejuni to both survive environmental stress at the slaughterhouse and to attach to the surface of meat.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the European Union funded Integrated Project BIOTRACER (FOOD-2006-CT-036272) under the 6th RTD Framework.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Safety and Quality, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės 18, 47181, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Eglė Kudirkienė, Loreta Šernienė & Mindaugas Malakauskas

  2. Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    Marianne Thorup Cohn & Lone Brøndsted

  3. Department of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK

    Richard A. Stabler, Philippa C. R. Strong & Brendan W. Wren

  4. Statens Serum Institut, 5, Artillerivej, 2300, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Eva Møller Nielsen

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  1. Eglė Kudirkienė
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Correspondence to Eglė Kudirkienė.

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Kudirkienė, E., Cohn, M.T., Stabler, R.A. et al. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterizations of Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from the Broiler Meat Production Process. Curr Microbiol 65, 398–406 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-012-0170-z

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