Isolation of Campylobacter from livers of broiler chickens with and without necrotic hepatitis lesions.

Injured and normal livers from broiler chickens sent to slaughter plants were collected for bacterial examination. A total of 223 macroscopically abnormal livers and 50 normal livers were received. Forty-seven thermophilic Campylobacter isolates were obtained from the livers with necrotic lesions; 39 isolates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and eight as C. coli. In normal livers, six C. jejuni isolates were obtained. C. jejuni biotype 2 was the most common isolate recovered from injured livers, and C. jejuni biotype 1 was the most frequent isolate found in normal livers. On some occasions, Campylobacter spp. could be isolated from both the liver parenchyma and bile of the same bird. Results indicated that different species and biotypes of Campylobacter can be found in the livers of broiler chickens with and without lesions of necrotic hepatitis.