Campylobacter jejuni is microaerophilic pathogen and is one of the leading causes of acute diarrhea in the United States. Despite being a microaerophilic pathogen, C. jejuni continues to endure within the domain of food production, especially in poultry processing. In this study, we evaluated the aerotolerance, biofilm forming abilities, and genetic diversity of C. jejuni isolates previously obtained from commercial broiler processing plants. Out of 40 isolates, 25 (62.5%) were aero–sensitive (AS), 10 (25%) were intermediately aerotolerant (IAT), and 5 (12.5%) were hyper aerotolerant (HAT). The isolates belonged to four clonal complexes (CCs) and six sequence types, with the majority of isolates assigned to the CC–353 clonal complexes. Furthermore, the biofilm forming abilities of 12 field C. jejuni isolate on stainless-steel coupons were measured using a crystal violet assay by measuring the optical density (OD600) and viable cell count was enumerated using direct plating. A notable interaction between aerotolerance categories and temperature (P < 0.039) impacting the number of biofilm-attached C. jejuni cells on stainless steel coupons. All isolates had greater counts when incubated at 42ºC compared to room temperature, regardless of oxygen level (P < 0.001). Furthermore, stronger biofilm density was observed at 42°C compared to room temperature, regardless of oxygen level. Eight C. jejuni strains including 3 AS, 3 IAT, and 2 HAT were used to understand the genomic characterization that underlies aerotolerance and biofilm formation in C. jejuni using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Genes associated with aerotolerance, and biofilms were present in all eight isolates despite the phenotypic differences. The virulence genes associated with Type VI secretion system (T6SS) and VAS effector proteins were unique in aerotolerant isolates. Antimicrobial resistance markers related to antibiotic efflux pumps, beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, aminoglycosides, and streptothricin were identified. In conclusion, this study elucidates the diverse aerotolerance profiles and genetic characteristics of C. jejuni isolates from poultry processing plants, shedding light on their ability to persist despite environmental stresses. Additionally, the biofilm forming ability at different temperatures emphasizes the importance of targeted interventions to mitigate its impact on food safety.

Les Campylobacter spp. représentent la plus grande cause de diarrhée bactérienne à travers le monde avec un coût économique élevé. Les méthodes phénotypiques utilisées au laboratoire de microbiologie médicale sont longues, ne différencient que Campylobacter jejuni des autres Campylobacter spp. et ne distinguent pas entre elles les deux sous-espèces de Campylobacter jejuni. Le développement de tests moléculaires capables de pallier à ces déficiences est donc important dans une perspective épidémiologique. Ce travail de recherche avait pour but de développer un essai PCR multiplex tuf-napA pour l’identification de Campylobacter jejuni au niveau de ses deux sous-espèces et de Campylobacter coli. Ce multiplex a ensuite été appliqué aux isolats de Campylobacter spp. du CHUL au CHUQ pour la période d’étude de janvier 2007 à janvier 2010 afin de définir l’épidémiologie moléculaire à l’hôpital. La capacité du gène tuf à servir comme gène cible pour discriminer les Campylobacter spp. a été établie ici pour la première fois. / Campylobacter spp. are the leading cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide with a high economic cost. The phenotypic methods used in medical microbiology laboratories are time-consuming, differentiate only Campylobacter jejuni from other Campylobacter spp. and do not distinguish between the two subspecies of Campylobacter jejuni. The development of molecular tests able to overcome these deficiencies is important from an epidemiological perspective. This research concentrates on the development of a PCR assay tuf-napA multiplex for the identification of Campylobacter jejuni at the level of its two sub-species as well as Campylobacter coli. This multiplex was then applied to Campylobacter spp. isolates at the CHUL of CHUQ for the study period from January 2007 to January 2010 to define the molecular epidemiology in the hospital. The ability of tuf gene to serve as target gene for discriminating Campylobacter spp. was established here for the first time.

No description available.

A demanda por carne de frango vem crescendo globalmente, assim como as exigências com relação à qualidade microbiológica do produto final. Associa-se a frequência de Campylobacter spp. em aves às enterites em humanos. O principal reservatório do agente é o trato digestivo de animais de diversas espécies, como aves de corte. Campylobacter spp. possui ampla diversidade genotípica e fenotípica, e apresentam diversos mecanismos de virulência para se aderir e colonizar o epitélio intestinal no hospedeiro. Apesar de o controle sanitário e biossegurança implementados nas granjas refletirem na redução de contaminação das carcaças no matadouro-frigorífico, esses procedimentos não eliminam o Campylobacter completamente das aves, podendo comprometer a qualidade microbiológica do produto final e propiciar casos de toxinfecção de origem alimentar aos consumidores. Esse trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a ocorrência de seis genes de virulência de Campylobacter jejuni em amostras de carcaças de frango e em casos de campilobacteriose em humanos. Foram avaliadas 50 amostras de C. jejuni, das quais 25 eram de origem aviária, provenientes da coleção do Centro de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Patologia Aviária (CDPA - UFRGS), e 25 eram de origem humana, cedidas pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ). A técnica de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) foi utilizada para detecção dos genes iam, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC e wlaN. Das amostras analisadas, 92% (23/25) de origem humana e 88% (22/25) de origem aviária foram positivas para o gene cdtB, 44% (11/25) de origem humana e 84% (21/25) de origem aviária para o gene cdtA; 20% (5/25) de origem humana e 80% (20/25) de origem aviária para o gene flaA; 48% (12/25) de origem humana e 76% (19/25) de origem aviária para o gene cdtC; 16% (4/25) de origem aviária para o gene wlaN e 12% (3/25) de origem humana e 4% (1/25) de origem aviária foram positivas para o gene iam. Em nenhuma das amostras pesquisadas de origem humana (0/25) foi observado o gene wlaN. Com este trabalho concluiu-se que os genes pesquisados podem estar presentes em cepas de C. jejuni provenientes de carne de frango e nas cepas isoladas de casos de infecção alimentar em humanos. Ainda assim, conforme os resultados apresentados, o gene cdtB teve maior frequência nas amostras provenientes de origem humana e aviária. / The demand for poultry meat has increased globally, as well as the microbiologic requirements of the final product. The frequency of Campylobacter spp. in poultry meat has been related to enteritis in humans. The digestive tract of several animals’ species, as poultries, is the main reservatory of the agent. Campylobacter spp. has a wide genotypic and phenotypic diversity, and, in addition to that, it presents several virulence factors which allow to adhere and colonize the intestinal epithelium of the host. Although good hygienic and biosecurity practices employed at poultry farms help to reduce the carcass contamination, these procedures do not completely eliminate Campylobacter spp. at the slaughterhouses and it may affect the microbiologic quality of the final product, which may cause alimentary toxinfection cases. This study aims to verify the occurrence of six virulence genes of Campylobacter jejuni from poultry carcasses samples and campylobacteriosis cases in humans. 50 samples of C. jejuni were evaluated, of which 25 were originated from poultry collected at the Centro de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Patologia Aviária (CDPA - UFRGS), and 25 were originated from human samples of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was employed to detect the following genes: iam, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC and wlaN. In the samples analyzed, 92% (23/25) from human origin and 88% (22/25) from poultry for cdtB gene; 44% (11/25) from human origin and 84% (21/25) from poultry for cdtA gene; 20% (5/25) from human origin and 80% (20/25) from poultry for flaA gene; 48% (12/25) from human origin and 76% (19/25) from poultry for cdtC gene; 16% (4/25) from poultry for wlaN and gene 12% (3/25) from human origin and 4% (1/25) from poultry were positive for iam gene. This study concludes that the researched genes may be present in Campylobacter from poultry meat origin and from isolates of human cases of alimentary toxinfection. However, according to the results found, the cdtB gene had a higher frequency in samples of human and avian origin.

Nas últimas décadas as espécies de Campylobacter spp. são reconhecidas como importantes agentes de gastroenterites de origem alimentar em humanos em diversos países, tendo como principal veículo de transmissão a carne de frango. Devido ao aumento da frequência com que é isolada a partir de humanos, animais, alimentos e água, esta bactéria tem sido foco crescente de atenção nos últimos 30 anos. No Brasil, ainda são limitadas as informações sobre esta bactéria na cadeia de produção de aves, não existindo legislação que contemple o controle de Campylobacter. A alta incidência na avicultura, a presença natural deste patógeno nos animais e os graves problemas de saúde pública gerados tornam essa bactéria alvo de esforços para prevenção e controle. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar se a metodologia de contagem direta proposta pela normativa MLG 41.02 teria eficiência na monitoria em diferentes amostras avícolas e paralelamente comparar o desempenho de dois ágares (mCCDA e Campy-Cefex) na contagem de Campylobacter spp. Foram realizadas quatro tomadas de amostras em um frigorífico da região Sul do país, durante um mês, sendo a amostragem composta por suabes de cloaca, carcaças pré-chiller, carcaças pós-chiller, água pré-chiller, água do chiller, e amostras de água de abastecimento. O ágar Campy-Cefex obteve maior frequência de isolamento de Campylobacter spp. em diferentes amostras avícolas quando comparado com o ágar mCCDA. Houve redução significativa de contaminação ao longo da linha de abate, com níveis de 9,8 x 102 UFC/mL em carcaças préchiller e 1,5x102 UFC/mL em carcaças pós-chiller. Do total de amostras em que foram realizadas a PCR, 72% foram positivas para Campylobacter jejuni e 38% positivas para Campylobacter coli. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente e possível de ser aplicada na indústria avícola, em diferentes materiais, para monitoria de Campylobacter. / In recent decades the Campylobacter spp. species are recognized as important agents of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans in several countries and the broiler meat as are pointed as the main vehicle of transmission. Due the increase in frequency isolation from humans, animals, food and water, this bacteria has received great attention in the last 30 years. The information about this bacteria are still limited in Brazil and in the poultry production chain, there are no laws to the Campylobacter’s control. The high incidence in poultry industry, the natural presence of this pathogen in animals and the serious concern in public health, lead this bacteria as target to prevention and control efforts. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the direct counting methodology proposed by MLG 41.02 rules would be efficient on monitoring different poultry samples, as well as to compare two agars plate (mCCDA and Campy-Cefex) performance’s to Campylobacter cell count. We carried out four samples taken in a slaughterhouse located at southern region of Brazil, during one month. The samples were composed by cloacal swabs, pre-chiller carcasses, post-chiller carcasses, pre-chiller water, chiller water, and water supply samples. The Campy-Cefex agar showed higher Campylobacter spp isolation frequency of among different poultry samples than mCCDA agar. There was a significant reduction in contamination along the slaughter line with levels of 9.8 x 102 CFU/mL in pre- chiller carcasses and 1.5 x102 CFU/mL in post-chiller carcasses. The samples typified by PCR, showed 72% of the samples as Campylobacter jejuni and 38% as Campylobacter coli. The methodology was efficient and also possible to be used in the poultry’s industry for different samples to Campylobacter monitoring program.

No description available.

Das thermophile Bakterium Campylobacter jejuni gehört weltweit zu den häufigsten Erregern bakterieller Gastroenteritiden beim Menschen. Der Erreger wird hauptsächlich durch kreuzkontaminierte Lebensmittel, zumeist ausgehend von Geflügelprodukten, übertragen. Aufgrund seines weiten Wirtsspektrums weist C. jejuni eine hohe genetische Vielfalt unter seinen Isolaten auf. Mit dem Ziel herauszufinden, ob das Auftreten spezifischer Markergene mit bestimmten klonalen Komplexen korreliert, wurden im Rahmen dieser Arbeit 266 C. jejuni-Isolate unterschiedlicher Herkunft (Mensch, Rind, Huhn, Pute) molekularbiologisch auf das Vorhandensein von zehn Virulenz-assoziierten Faktoren: cj1321-1326 (ein sechs Gen umfassender Komplex zur Flagellin-O-Glykolisierung), ciaB (Campylobacter-Invasions-Antigen B), cdtB (cytolethales distendierendes Toxin, CDT) Untereinheit B, fucP (L-Fucose-Permease), cj0178/cj0755 (Eisentransportprotein), ceuE (Enterochelin bindendes Protein), pldA (Phospholipase A der äußeren Membran) und cstII/cstIII (Lipooligosaccharid-Sialyltransferase) untersucht. In einer vorrangegangen Studie von ZAUTNER et al. 2011 wurden bereits 266 C. jejuni-Isolate durch Kombination von MLST und den sechs genetischen Metabolismus-assoziierten Markern: ansB (periplasmatische Asparaginase), dmsA (Untereinheit A der Dimethyl-sulfoxid-Oxidoreduktase), ggt (γ-Glutamyl-Transpeptidase), cj1585c (Oxidoreduktase), cjj811-76-1367/71 (Serin-Protease) und tlp7m+c (transducer-like Protein 7 (Ameiseisäure-spezifische Chemotaxisrezeptor), Heterodimer aus Cj0951c und Cj0952c) in sechs Gruppen unterteilt. Zur Konkretisierung dieser bestehenden Gruppendefinitionen und zur Identifikation der Gruppen mit dem höchsten gesundheitsgefährdenden Potential wurden dieselben 266 Isolate nun weiter charakterisiert. Vor allem die genetischen Marker cj1321-1326; fucP; cj0178 und cj0755 sind weitestgehend miteinander assoziiert und splitten die Testpopulation in 2 Haupt- und 7 Untergruppen und bestätigen damit die alte Gruppendefinition. Abgesehen vom Virulenz-assoziierten Marker pldA zeigen alle ermittelten genetischen Marker signifikante Unterschiede unter den verschiedenen MLST-Sequenztypen. Basierend auf den Daten der Arbeit konnte ein Biotyp von C. jejuni-Isolaten, der durch die Präsenz von ansB, dmsA, ggt und die Absenz von cj1321-1326; fucP; cj0178, cj0755, cj1365c, cj1585c sowie cstII/cstIII charakterisiert ist, bestimmt werden. Isolate dieser Gruppe gehören hauptsächlich den MLST-CC 22, 42, 45, 283 an und sind eher an eine Persistenz in der Umwelt-adaptiert. Zum Wachstum nutzen die Stämme dieser Gruppe einen erweiterten Aminosäurestoffwechsel sowie einen alternativen anaeroben Stoffwechselweg (dmsA- positiv). Hingegen kann aufgrund des fehlenden fucP keine L-Fucose verstoffwechselt werden. Außerdem sind die Stämme dieser Gruppe toleranter gegen oxidativen Stress und besser frostbeständig. Die jahreszeitliche Prävalenz ist am stärksten im Frühsommer. Dieser Umwelt- aber schlechter Wirts-adaptierte Biotyp wird mit mehr Campylobacteriosen beim Menschen in Verbindung gebracht, ist häufiger mit blutigen Stühlen und Hospitalisierungen assoziiert und ist somit hochgradiger virulent für den Menschen. Im Gegensatz dazu ist die zweite Hauptgruppe stärker an tierische Wirte, insbesondere Säuger, adaptiert und in der Lage, L-Fucose aus Mucosa oder Milch zu metabolisieren. Isolate dieses Biotyps tolerieren für C. jejuni extreme Temperaturen besser und zeigen eine relativ gleichmäßige Prävalenz im Jahresverlauf. Alle fünf bekannten C. jejuni-Eisentransportsysteme sind detektierbar, ebenso die Marker cj1321-1326, cj1365c, cj1585c und cstII und/oder cstIII. Die vorherrschenden MLST-CC sind CC 21, 48, 61 und 20. Dieser besser Wirts-adaptierte Biotyp wird mit weniger schweren Campylobacteriosen in Zusammenhang gebracht. Alle anderen Gruppen stellen einen sukzessiven evolutionären Übergang an Markergen-Kombinationen zwischen diesen beiden Hauptgruppen dar.

A demanda por carne de frango vem crescendo globalmente, assim como as exigências com relação à qualidade microbiológica do produto final. Associa-se a frequência de Campylobacter spp. em aves às enterites em humanos. O principal reservatório do agente é o trato digestivo de animais de diversas espécies, como aves de corte. Campylobacter spp. possui ampla diversidade genotípica e fenotípica, e apresentam diversos mecanismos de virulência para se aderir e colonizar o epitélio intestinal no hospedeiro. Apesar de o controle sanitário e biossegurança implementados nas granjas refletirem na redução de contaminação das carcaças no matadouro-frigorífico, esses procedimentos não eliminam o Campylobacter completamente das aves, podendo comprometer a qualidade microbiológica do produto final e propiciar casos de toxinfecção de origem alimentar aos consumidores. Esse trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a ocorrência de seis genes de virulência de Campylobacter jejuni em amostras de carcaças de frango e em casos de campilobacteriose em humanos. Foram avaliadas 50 amostras de C. jejuni, das quais 25 eram de origem aviária, provenientes da coleção do Centro de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Patologia Aviária (CDPA - UFRGS), e 25 eram de origem humana, cedidas pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ). A técnica de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) foi utilizada para detecção dos genes iam, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC e wlaN. Das amostras analisadas, 92% (23/25) de origem humana e 88% (22/25) de origem aviária foram positivas para o gene cdtB, 44% (11/25) de origem humana e 84% (21/25) de origem aviária para o gene cdtA; 20% (5/25) de origem humana e 80% (20/25) de origem aviária para o gene flaA; 48% (12/25) de origem humana e 76% (19/25) de origem aviária para o gene cdtC; 16% (4/25) de origem aviária para o gene wlaN e 12% (3/25) de origem humana e 4% (1/25) de origem aviária foram positivas para o gene iam. Em nenhuma das amostras pesquisadas de origem humana (0/25) foi observado o gene wlaN. Com este trabalho concluiu-se que os genes pesquisados podem estar presentes em cepas de C. jejuni provenientes de carne de frango e nas cepas isoladas de casos de infecção alimentar em humanos. Ainda assim, conforme os resultados apresentados, o gene cdtB teve maior frequência nas amostras provenientes de origem humana e aviária. / The demand for poultry meat has increased globally, as well as the microbiologic requirements of the final product. The frequency of Campylobacter spp. in poultry meat has been related to enteritis in humans. The digestive tract of several animals’ species, as poultries, is the main reservatory of the agent. Campylobacter spp. has a wide genotypic and phenotypic diversity, and, in addition to that, it presents several virulence factors which allow to adhere and colonize the intestinal epithelium of the host. Although good hygienic and biosecurity practices employed at poultry farms help to reduce the carcass contamination, these procedures do not completely eliminate Campylobacter spp. at the slaughterhouses and it may affect the microbiologic quality of the final product, which may cause alimentary toxinfection cases. This study aims to verify the occurrence of six virulence genes of Campylobacter jejuni from poultry carcasses samples and campylobacteriosis cases in humans. 50 samples of C. jejuni were evaluated, of which 25 were originated from poultry collected at the Centro de Diagnóstico e Pesquisa em Patologia Aviária (CDPA - UFRGS), and 25 were originated from human samples of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was employed to detect the following genes: iam, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, cdtC and wlaN. In the samples analyzed, 92% (23/25) from human origin and 88% (22/25) from poultry for cdtB gene; 44% (11/25) from human origin and 84% (21/25) from poultry for cdtA gene; 20% (5/25) from human origin and 80% (20/25) from poultry for flaA gene; 48% (12/25) from human origin and 76% (19/25) from poultry for cdtC gene; 16% (4/25) from poultry for wlaN and gene 12% (3/25) from human origin and 4% (1/25) from poultry were positive for iam gene. This study concludes that the researched genes may be present in Campylobacter from poultry meat origin and from isolates of human cases of alimentary toxinfection. However, according to the results found, the cdtB gene had a higher frequency in samples of human and avian origin.

Campylobacteriosis, in the current days, is recognized as the major cause of foodborne illness in many developed and developing countries. Among the Campylobacter species responsable for the infections, C. jejuni is responsable for 75% of the cases of human campilobacteriosis, as for it, it s considered as the major species involved on the registered cases. In this work, two experiments were conduced. In the first, the presence of C. jejuni and Campylobacter spp. in poultry farms of Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil was investigated. Epidemiological data was obtained with the person encharged by the farms, and the data obtained was corelated with the levels of contamination of each property. In the second experiment, we investigated the contamination of cicken meat and giblets adquired in supermarkets in Santa Maria city of C. jejuni as well as the freezing effect on the contamination levels in this samples. For the first trial, 280 cloacal swabs were collected from four poultry farms. In the second experiment, 9 samples of heart, liver, gizzard and drumette, tottalizing 36 samples collected. A portion of each sample was processed freshly, while the rest was freezed (-18ºC) for 7 days before it s processing. In the first trial, 147 samples (52,5%) were positive for C. jejuni and another 31 (11,07%) were identified as Campylobacter spp. The data analysis revealed correlaction beetwen the number of birds kept in de farms (p=0,05), the age of the poultry (p=0,05) and the gender (p=0,03), as female was more infected than males. In the second experiment, isolation of C. jejuni was achieved in 7 heart (77,7%), 8 liver (88,8%), 4 gizzard (44,4%) and 3 drumette (33,3%) fresh samples, corresponding to 61,1% of total samples. After freezing storage, in only 3 samples (two liver and one heart) C. jejuni was isolated (8,3%). The data obtained allowed us to conclude that C. jejuni is widely spread in poultry farms os Rio Grande do Sul state, so, improve the control procedures for Compylobacter species on the poultry fars is needed. The chicken cuts obtained from supermarkets in Santa Maria city are also higly contaminated by C. jejuni, however, freezing storage for seven days can drastically reduce the contamination levels of chicken cuts, improoving food safety, althoght, this procedure do not eliminate completely C. jejuni from de cuts analized, and the correct manipullation is needed to eliminate the risk of infeccion from poultry meat sources . / A campilobacteriose, atualmente, é reconhecida como sendo a causa mais freqüente de infecção de origem alimentar em seres humanos. Dentre as espécies responsáveis pela infecção, Campylobacter jejuni responde por cerca de 75% dos casos de campilobacteriose humana, sendo considerada a principal espécie envolvida nos casos registrados. Este trabalho é composto de dois experimentos. No primeiro avaliou-se a ocorrência de C. jejuni em granjas avícolas no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, correlacionando os índices de contaminação detectados com dados epidemiológicos obtidos através de entrevista com o responsável pela granja. Foram coletados 280 swabs cloacais oriundos de quatro granjas avícolas do Rio Grande do Sul. No segundo experimento, foram adquiridos em supermercados de Santa Maria, 9 amostras frescas de fígado, coração, moela e drumete, totalizando 36 amostras. Foi realizado o processamento de um fragmento de 25g de cada amostra fresca, sendo o restante congelado à -18ºC durante sete dias, sendo as amostras, após este período novamente analisadas. No primeiro experimento, foram obtidas 147 amostras (52,5%) positivas para C. jejuni e 31 amostras (11,07%) identificadas como Campylobacter spp. A análise dos dados revelou existir influência dos índices de contaminação mais elevados com o número de aves alojadas (p=0,05), tempo de alojamento (p=0,05) e sexo (p=0,05), sendo as fêmeas mais acometidas que os machos. No segundo experimento, realizou-se o isolamento em 7 (77,7%) amostras frescas de coração, 8 (88,8%) de fígado, 4 (44,4%) de moela e 3 (33,3%) de drumete, correspondendo a 61,1% das amostras frescas analisadas. Após o congelamento, em apenas três amostras (8,3%) foi obtido o isolamento de C. jejuni, sendo duas amostras de fígado e uma de coração. Os dados obtidos permitem concluir que C. jejuni está amplamente difundido na avicultura industrial do Rio Grande do Sul, sendo necessário ampliar os esforços para redução deste patógeno nos plantéis avícolas. Os cortes de frango adquiridos em supermercados na cidade de Santa Maria apresentam índices de contaminação elevados por C. jejuni, contudo o congelamento por 7 dias é capaz de reduzir consideravelmente os índices de contaminação, porém, não eliminando completamente C. jejuni dos cortes congelados, assim, a manipulação adequada da carne de frango continua sendo essencial para assegurar a eliminação de C. jejuni dos alimentos contendo carne de frango em suas preparações.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Campylobacter sp is recognized as one of the main causes of human gastroenteritis of food origin. Among the foods that circulate these microorganism, chicken is the meat most involved. Existent studies about the vertical transmission of Campylobacter sp are scarce and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to verify the vertical transmission of Campylobacter sp from heavy matrixes to the progeny. With the use of the traditional culture method, cloacal swabs of 279 heavy matrix samples were analyzed from the follow sits: 6 bed, 4 nest, 11 ovary and oviduct, 11 liver, spleen and heart and 11 intestine. In 11 cloacal swab samples polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also performed, using the automated BAX® system. In progeny samples, the following were analyzed: 78 and 44 fresh eggs, disinfected and not disinfected, respectively, 12 infertile eggs, 45 unhatched eggs, 13 hatching environment samples, 121 meconium samples and 36 organ samples (heart, liver, spleen) and 36 intestines from one-day old chickens. The analyses were performed by the traditional culture method. In another 10 meconium samples, analysis was performed by the BAX® method. The positivity in the cloacal swab samples by the traditional culture method was 13.97% and by the BAX® methodology it was 54.54%. The bed samples, positivity was 83.33% and in the nest samples it was 0.25%. In matrix organs, Campylobacter sp was only isolated in 27.27% of samples and only in the intestines. There was no positivity in any of the samples of fresh eggs, infertile eggs, embryonic eggs, chicken organs or from the hatching environment. By the traditional culture method there was no positivity in the meconium, but with the use of the BAX® system, positivity was 80%. Although the physiological characteristics of the matrixes, the eggs and Campylobacter sp are favorable to the entry and survival of bacteria in the eggs, and consequently in the one-day old chickens, in this study, positivity in the progeny was only found with the use of the BAX® system. These findings suggest that further studies with the use of molecular techniques should be conducted to verify vertical transmission. / Campylobacter sp é reconhecida como uma das principais causas de gastroenterite humana de origem alimentar e dentre os alimentos veiculadores desses microrganismos, a carne de frango é a mais implicada. As pesquisas existentes sobre a transmissão vertical da Campylobacter sp são escassas e não conclusivas. O objetivo desse estudo foi verificar a transmissão vertical da Campylobacter sp de matrizes pesadas para a progênie. Utilizando o método de cultura tradicional, foram analisados suabes cloacais de 279 amostras matrizes pesadas, 6 de cama, 4 de ninho, 11 de ovário e oviduto, 11 de fígado, baço e coração e 11 de intestino. Em 11 amostras de suabe cloacal, também foi realizada a reação da polimerase em cadeia (PCR) utilizando o sistema automatizado BAX®. Em amostras da progênie foram analisadas: 78 e 44 ovos frescos desinfetados e não desinfetados, respectivamente, 12 ovos inférteis, 45 ovos não eclodidos, 13 amostras ambientais de nascedouro, 121 de mecônio e 36 amostras de órgãos (coração, fígado, baço) e 36 intestinos de pintainhos de um dia. As análises foram realizadas pelo método de cultura tradicional e em outras 10 amostras de mecônio, pelo método BAX®. A positividade em amostras de suabe cloacal pelo método de cultura tradicional foi de 13,97% e pela metodologia BAX® 54,54%. Nas de cama, a positividade foi de 83,33% e nas de ninho, 25%. Em órgãos de matrizes, Campylobacter sp foi isolada em 27,27% das amostras e somente em intestinos. Não houve positividade em nenhuma das amostras de ovos frescos, inférteis, ovos embrionados, órgãos de pintainhos ou ambiente de nascedouro. Pelo método de cultura tradicional, não houve positividade em mecônio, embora com o uso do sistema BAX® a positividade foi de 80%. Apesar das características fisiológicas das matrizes, dos ovos e da Campylobacter sp serem favoráveis à entrada e sobrevivência da bactéria nos ovos, e conseqüentemente, nos pintainhos de 1 dia de idade, nesse estudo, as positividades na progênie foram apenas encontradas com a utilização do sistema BAX®. Esses achados sugerem que outros estudos com utilização de técnicas moleculares devem ser aplicados para verificação da transmissão vertical. / Mestre em Ciências Veterinárias