A recent study published in Veterinary Sciences demonstrates the potential of competitive exclusion (CE) cultures in controlling Campylobacter jejuni in broiler chickens on poultry farms. CE cultures are cultures that will cause the reduction or extinction of one another when allowed to populate the same environment. The researchers note that CE cultures are being explored as a method for controlling Campylobacter in poultry because there are currently no efficacious control measures to reduce Campylobacter prevalence in poultry.
According to the researchers, Campylobacter is the most frequently reported foodborne pathogen in the EU. While CE culture treatment has historically proven effective against Salmonella colonization in young chickens, its usefulness against Campylobacter colonization has shown inconsistent results in past studies.