Reduction of food phatogens prevalence in dietary S.cerevisiae-fed poultry orally challenged with S.enteritidis and C. jejuni.

The effect of yeast supplementation in broiler chickens on Salmonella enteritidis and Campylobacter jejuni contamination in faeces, cecum, breast, and neck skin was evaluated. Two groups (12 replicates/group, 20 Hubbard female chickens 1d old/replicate) were fed pre-starter (0-10d), starter (11-20d) and growing (21-38d) diets, and administered (Y) or not (C) Levucell® SB20 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae type boulardii I-1079; 106 CFU/g feed through a 0.05% premix). Birds were orally challenged at 10 days of life (S. enteritidis, 1x105 CFU/bird, and C. jejuni, 3x105 CFU/bird). On day 10 and 28 post-infection (PI), 10 animals/replicate were slaughtered and pooled ceca content of 5 birds/replicate was analysed for Salmonella and Campylobacter detection and enumeration together with total yeast count. Neck and breast skin were tested for Salmonella and Campylobacter presence on 1 subject/replicate. Data were analysed by a GLM procedure of SAS considering two experimental periods, from 0 to 20 days and from 20 to 38 days. Growth performance and faecal coliforms content were not affected by treatment. Higher yeast and lactobacilli (P=0.01) faecal count, and a significant decreased Salmonella enumeration and frequency in neck (-41%, P=0.03) and tendency in faeces (-25%; P=0.06), cecum (-25%; P=0.06), and breast skin (-33%; P=0.08) were found in Y group on day 38. No fecal Campylobacter was detected at 10d (P<0.01) or 28d (P=0.06) PI in Y birds, while in neck skin absence of Campylobacter was only recorded on day 10 PI (P=0.01). Campylobacter was significantly lower in Y birds in cecum (-42%; P=0.01), and breast skin (-58%; P=0.04) on 10d PI, while on day 38 it was reduced in breast skin (-42%; P=0.02), and tended to decrease in faeces (-25%; P=0.06). Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CNCM I-1079) significantly controlled Campylobacter carriage in chickens with some positive results also on Salmonella contamination, thus reducing the contamination of carcasses with both food borne pathogens.