Role of maternal antibodies in the protection of broiler chicks against Campylobacter colonization and their potential in passive immunization

Korte beschrijving

Campylobacter is the leading cause of human gastro-enteritis worldwide. According to EFSA, 137,107 people were affected in 2022, with 50 to 80% of the cases related to consumption of poultry products. The bacterium occurs in very high numbers in the caeca of chickens, leading to a large number of infected chicken carcasses that can transmit Campylobacter to humans. In Belgium, 35-80% of broiler flocks are positive for Campylobacter at slaughter age, although flocks are generally not colonized by Campylobacter until chicks are 2 to 3 weeks old. It is generally assumed that chicks are protected from Campylobacter colonization during these first weeks of life by maternal antibodies transported to the chick via the egg yolk.