Open Access
Research (Published online: 17-02-2023)
11. Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in broilers in North Lebanon
Rana Awada, Ghassan Ghssein, Ali El Roz, Mona Farhat, Nada Nehme, and Hussein F. Hassan
Veterinary World, 16(2): 322-328

Rana Awada†: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Islamic University of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
Ghassan Ghssein†: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Islamic University of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
Ali El Roz: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Islamic University of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Mona Farhat: Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Islamic University of Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon.
Nada Nehme: Department of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine, Lebanese University, Dekwaneh, Mount Lebanon, Lebanon.
Hussein F. Hassan: Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon.
† These authors contributed equally to this research work.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2023.322-328

Share this article on [Facebook] [LinkedIn]

Article history: Received: 21-10-2022, Accepted: 13-01-2023, Published online: 17-02-2023

Corresponding author: Hussein F. Hassan

E-mail: hussein.hassan@lau.edu.lb

Citation: Awada R, Ghssein G, El Roz A, Farhat M, Nehme N, and Hassan HF (2023) Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in broilers in North Lebanon, Veterinary World, 16(2): 322–328.
Abstract

Background and Aim: Great attention has been given recently to the prevalence of different Campylobacter spp. in poultry since the latter are considered the major contributing reservoir of human campylobacteriosis. In Lebanon, the occurrence of campylobacteriosis in humans is high. The aim of our first-of-its-kind study in the country was to estimate the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in broilers from a convenient sample of farms in North Lebanon.

Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-five fecal samples were collected from 25 broiler farms, which were selected, examined, and classified according to their biosecurity level and rearing system. All samples were subjected to qualitative microbiological culture testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays to detect Campylobacter spp.

Results: Despite the reported use of antibiotics, cell culture and PCR were positive for 44% and 88%, respectively. This implies that this bacterium is resistant to antibiotics used on the farms. Furthermore, Campylobacter infection rate was higher in open (92%) than in closed (85%) system farms. All farms with poor biosecurity measures, and 82% of farms with good biosecurity measures had Campylobacter infections, and the difference was significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our results show that campylobacteriosis was found prevalent among broilers in North Lebanon, making them potential carriers of Campylobacter spp. Future studies should include antibiotic susceptibility testing to check the susceptibility pattern of isolates.

Keywords: broilers, Campylobacter, campylobacteriosis, faeco-prevalence, Lebanon.