Campylobacter infection in chickens modulates the intestinal epithelial barrier function

• Published in: Innate immunity (London, England) England), 2015-02, Vol.21 (2), p.151-160
• Main Authors: Awad, Wageha A, Molnár, Andor, Aschenbach, Jörg R, Ghareeb, Khaled, Khayal, Basel, Hess, Claudia, Liebhart, Dieter, Dublecz, Károly, Hess, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Asymptomatic Diseases; Body Weight; Campylobacter Infections - physiopathology; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - physiology; Carrier State; Cecum - microbiology; Cecum - physiology; Chickens; Colon - microbiology; Colon - physiology; Intestinal Mucosa - microbiology; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Intestinal Mucosa - physiology; Ion Transport - physiology; Jejunum - microbiology; Jejunum - physiology
• ISSN: 1753-4259; 1753-4267
• DOI: 10.1177/1753425914521648

Asymptomatic carriage of Campylobacter jejuni is highly prevalent in chicken flocks. Thus, we investigated whether chronic Campylobacter carriage affects chicken intestinal functions despite the absence of clinical symptoms. An experiment was carried out in which commercial chickens were orally infected with C. jejuni (1 × 108 CFU/bird) at 14 days of life. Changes in ion transport and barrier function were assessed by short-circuit current (Isc) and transepithelial ion conductance (Gt) in Ussing chambers. Gt increased in cecum and colon of Campylobacter-infected chicken 7 d post-infection (DPI), whereas Gt initially decreased in the jejunum at 7 DPI and increased thereafter at 14 DPI. The net charge transfer across the epithelium was reduced or tended to be reduced in all segments, as evidenced by a decreased Isc. Furthermore, the infection induced intestinal histomorphological changes, most prominently including a decrease in villus height, crypt depth and villus surface area in the jejunum at 7 DPI. Furthermore, body mass gain was decreased by Campylobacter carriage. This study demonstrates, for the first time, changes in the intestinal barrier function in Campylobacter-infected chickens and these changes were associated with a decrease in growth performance in otherwise healthy-appearing birds.