PCR detection of Campylobacter sp. from turkey carcasses during processing plant in Iran

Turkey carcasses were sampled in one commercial poultry processing plant of Isfahan (Iran) to evaluate the contamination of carcasses to Campylobacter spp. along the processing plant by PCR method. A total of 348 samples were collected during six plants visit from May to December 2007. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 62.1% (216 out of 348) of the samples. Out of 216 Campylobacter isolates, 175 (81.0%) were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and 41 (19.0%) as Campylobacter coli. The occurrences of Campylobacter spp. contamination after defeathering, evisceration and chilling were 75.9%, 77.6% and 32.8% respectively. The results indicate that the fecal recontamination of the avian skin occurred during defeathering and evisceration. However chilling process decreases Campylobacter spp. contamination of the turkey skin significantly