Gilroy, Rachel, Chaloner, Gemma, Wedley, Amy, Richards-Rios, Peter 
ORCID: 0000-0002-0141-2520, Pottenger, Sian ORCID: 0000-0002-5700-9693 and Wigley, Paul
(2026)
Caecal microbiome transplant inhibits transmission and intestinal colonisation of <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> in broiler chickens.
Poultry science and management, 3 (1).
13-.
ISSN 3005-0715, 3005-0715
Abstract
Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequent cause of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis with poultry products the most frequent source of infection. C. jejuni can colonise the intestinal tract of the chicken and in particular the large blind caeca to a high level accompanied by faecal shedding and rapid transmission in flocks. As such, reducing transmission and intestinal colonisation in poultry meat production is considered a key target to reduce human infection. Whilst vaccines and feed-based approaches including modulation of the microbiome are considered most likely to reduce numbers in the chicken caeca, neither have yet shown the capacity to lead to significant reductions. We have previously shown that administration of a caecal microbiome transplant (CMT) at hatch acts to modify the microbiome, increasing diversity and reducing Enterobacteriacae levels associated with poor gut health and increased Campylobacter susceptibility. When challenged at 21 days old with C. jejuni M1 in a seeder bird infection model, birds in groups receiving CMT showed reduced transmission and significantly lower levels of C. jejuni at post-mortem examination at 35 days of age than control birds or birds treated with a commercial microflora competitive exclusion product (Aviguard). These data show that a microbiome-based intervention has the potential to inhibit C. jejuni transmission and decrease levels in the caeca at slaughter age. This is modelled to lead to a significant reduction in human cases. CMT offers a valuable tool to determine protective taxa in the chicken gut, aiding rational development of microbial interventions as well as a low-cost platform to help understand immunological development in the chicken gut.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Campylobacter, Microbial-based interventions, Microbiome, Microbiome transplant, Transmission |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences > Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jul 2026 13:08 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jul 2026 21:14 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s44364-026-00031-8 |
| Open Access URL: | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44364-0... |
| Related Websites: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3199361 |
| Disclaimer: | The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate. |
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