Abstract

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Helicobacter pullorum in broiler chickens and their farms environment.
Materials and methods: The caeca from 100 broiler chickens from ten farms were sampled from processing sites or markets. The caecal contents were aseptically collected from each caecum and cultured. The farms were visited and environmental samples were collected which included water, house flies and floor swabs and soils in chicken houses.
Results: Helicobacter pullorum was present in 51% of the broilers; 17.5% of the flies were found to carry H. pullorum and Campylobacter spp., 30% of houses’ floors were positive while all water samples were negative.
Conclusion: Flies could have picked up the organisms from the chickens’ faeces and/or the environment of the chicken houses or they could be one of the sources in the spread of the organisms. This study also showed that broiler chickens are potential reservoirs for H. pullorum and may serve as a source of infection for humans via the food chain.

Key words: Broiler chickens;Campylobacter; Helicobacter pullorum; House flies