ADVANCEMENTS IN DEVELOPING ANTI-CAMPYLOBACTER VACCINE FOR POULTRY

Campylobacter jejuni/coli is the leading bacterial cause of diarrhoea in humans in both developing and developed countries. Epidemiological studies show that most cases of campylobacteriosis are the result of the consumption of undercooked, contaminated poultry meat. Although campylobacteriosis is largely a self-limiting disease with low mortality, a specific treatment is required for patients infected with strains resistant to clinically important antibiotics and for patients who develop neurological symptoms or bacteremia in course of infection. Despite intensive efforts to improve an on-farm biosecurity practice over the past decade, about 70% of EU broiler chicken flocks remain Campylobacter-positive at slaughter. Control of spreading the Campylobacter infection in flocks of chickens by biosecurity actions turned out rather ineffective. The most efficient strategy to decrease the number of human Campylobacter infections may be to implement an immunoprophylactic method, namely, the protective vaccination of chickens. The publication presents the current state of knowledge on anti-Campylobacter immunoprophylaxis in poultry.