The pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni as a monoinfection and as a mixed infection with Escherichia coli 078:K80 in broilers

Two week old broilers (n = 61) with a monoinfection with Campylobacter jejuni (0.5 ml of suspension containing 10(5) CFU/ml per os) showed reduced increase in weight during week 3 after infection compared to the control group. An other group of chickens (n = 31) was additionally infected with a suspension of Escherichia (E.) coli O78:K80 via drinking water from day 4 to 6 after the primary infection. This mixed infection provoked clinical signs of a disease and reduced increase in weight during the first two weeks of the experiment. Seven broilers of this group showed a fibrinous pericarditis and/or perihepatitis. Four of these chickens died. It can be concluded from the experiment that an infection with Campylobacter causes reduced weight gain and supports a systemic infection with E. coli.