Prevalence and risk factors for Campylobacter spp. in chicken broiler flocks in Reunion Island (Indian Ocean)

Our objectives were to determine Campylobacter prevalence in broiler chicken flocks in Reunion Island and to define specific practices associated with the presence of Campylobacter spp. Infection in Reunionese broiler flocks. Fifty broiler flocks were studied in Reunion Island from May 2007 to February 2009. A questionnaire was submitted to the farmers and samples of fresh droppings were collected to assess the flock's Campylobacter status. Fifty four percent of the flocks were infected by Campylobacter spp.: 30% (95% CI: 28.71–31.29) were infected with Campylobacter coli and 17% (95% CI: 15.95–18.05) with Campylobacter jejuni; only 7% (95% CI: 6.28–7.72) were infected by both species at the same time.Several poultry houses in the farm (OR = 11.2; [1.05–92]) and cleaning without any detergent (OR = 13.1; [2.1–78.3]) increased the risk of Campylobacter infection. A distance higher than 500 m between broiler farms (OR = 0.27; [0.1–0.8]) and use of disinfectant during the rearing period decreased this risk of infection (OR = 0.15; [0.1–0.75]).