As the number of chickens grows rapidly, they are increasingly…
As the number of chickens grows rapidly, they are increasingly infected with strains from different species of wild birds and become a kind of incubator for the evolution of bacteria.
Consensus
- Industrial poultry farming has accelerated the spread and evolution of Campyllobacter bacteria.
- Campylobacter is a major cause of foodborne illness worldwide, often leading to severe diarrhea and other symptoms.
- The global chicken population has increased about sevenfold since the 1960s, reaching approximately 27–31 billion birds.
- This growth has led to increased mixing of Campylobacter strains between domestic chickens and wild birds.
- Campylobacter can develop antibiotic resistance and adapt better to poultry farm environments.
- The study analyzed nearly 2800 bacterial genoms from chickens and wild birds in 30 countries over the period 1979–2024.
- Before domestication, Campylobacter strains were mostly tied to specific bird species with limited cross-infection.
Points of divergence
- In Russia, the threat of Campylobacter spread is not as high due to strict veterinary and sanitary requirements. — vm
- The study suggests that industrial poultry farming creates a 'cauldron' for bacterial evolution, leading to new 'monster' bacteria that are harder to treat in humans. — vesti
Coverage (2 sources)
- Что такое кампилобактериоз и можно ли заразиться от курицы — Вечерняя Москва
- Rising poultry population leads to emergence of monster bacteria — Вести