The Seasonal Incidence of Thermophilic Campylobacters in Sheep

Abstract

Campylobacter infections follow a seasonal trend within the human population having the greatest incidence in late spring⁸. This trend is reflected in the environment when the number of thermophilic campylobacters present in raw sewage is also significantly higher than during the rest of the year⁶. The incidence of Campylobacter infection in Lancaster is greater per 100,000 population than the remainder of the north west of England region. Research by Jones et al. ⁶ showed a positive correlation between the numbers of campylobacters present within raw sewage and the incidence of infection within the human population. Together with human influences abattoir and rendering plant effluent were implicated as sources for the seasonal increase in campylobacters within raw sewage. In the Lancaster area cattle and sheep are the predominant sources of faecal material present within the effluent discharged from abattoirs. Whilst the carriage of campylobacters by poultry has been extensively investigated comparatively little information is available regarding the prevalence of Campylobacter within ruminants. The aim of this project was to assess the seasonal carriage of thermophilic campylobacters by sheep.