Occurence of Campylobacter spp. in Malaysian jungle fowl and village chickens

Campylobacteriosis is a common zoonotic foodborne human gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter spp. As the largest livestock market in Malaysia, poultry is also an important contributor of Campylobacter infections. Thus, this study is very important to assess the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in jungle fowl and village chickens in Malaysia since both chickens are also consumed by the locals. In present study, 50 samples from village chickens and four samples from jungle fowls were collected by mean of sterilized cotton cloacal swabs. 22 out of 50 (44%) samples of village chickens and 2 out of 4 (50%) samples of jungle fowls were isolated with Campylobacter spp with biochemical test identified them as either Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli. There is a concern over the public health since there is a high prevalence in village chicken and jungle fowl. The research is mainly to increase public awareness since jungle fowl and village chicken are associated with human population. They are not just found in uninhabited rural areas but also frequently found in villages especially those that are close to the jungle. The emergence of Campylobacter in village chickens could put the inhabitants of a particular village at a high risk due to the possibility of transmission or spread of infection. The isolation of this bacteria from both birds could lead to further understanding of the ecology of Campylobacter spp. in poultry whilst providing insight towards the potential development of vaccine and probiotics to control campylobacteriosis. Such action could benefit the poultry market and food security in line with goal 2 towards zero hunger and goal 12, the responsible consumption and production, in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).