The present pilot study aimed at evaluating air sampling as a novel method for monitoring Campylobacter in poultry farms. We compared the bacteriological isolation of Campylobacter from boot swabs and air filter samples using ISO 10272-1:2017. A secondary aim was to evaluate the use of molecular methods, i.e. real time PCR, on the same sample set. Samples from 44 flocks from five European countries were collected, and included air samples, in parallel with boot swabs. Campylobacter spp. was isolated from seven of 44 boot swabs from three of five partners using the enrichment method. Two of these positive boot swab samples had corresponding positive air samples. Using enrichment, one positive air sample was negative in the corresponding boot swabs, but Campylobacter spp. was isolated from direct plating of the boot swab sample. One partner isolated Campylobacter spp. from six of 10 boot swabs using direct plating. Overall, 33 air filter samples were screened directly with PCR, returning 14 positive results. In conclusion, there was a lack of correspondence between results from analysis of boot swabs and air filters using ISO 10272-1:2017. In contrast, the combination of air filters and direct real-time PCR might be a way forward. Despite the use of the detailed ISO protocols, there were still sections that could be interpreted differently among laboratories. Air sampling may turn into a multi-purpose and low-cost sampling method that may be integrated into self-monitoring programs.

Food Microbiology and Hygiene Group National Food Institute Technical University of Denmark Kemitorvet DK 2800 Kgs Lyngby Denmark

National Reference Laboratory for Campylobacter Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 64100 Teramo Italy

National Veterinary Research Institute Partyzantow 57 24 100 Pulawy Poland

Norwegian Veterinary Institute P O Box 750 Sentrum 0106 Oslo Norway

Veterinary Research Institute Hudcova 296 70 621 00 Brno Czech Republic

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