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IMPORTANCE: Outdoor play in homes, schools, and communities provides children with unique opportunities to explore their worlds, develop fundamental life skills, and experience belonging. However, few studies have explored outdoor free play among autistic preschoolers in natural settings from a neurodivergent-informed perspective. OBJECTIVE: To explore the play preferences, opportunities, and challenges in outdoor play for autistic preschoolers. DESIGN: In this qualitative study, the authors used a multimethod approach to data collection using visual, verbal, and projective techniques and thematic analysis to identify and describe outdoor play occupation as expressed by autistic preschoolers. SETTING: Home, community, and preschool environments in a city in Ireland. PARTICIPANTS: Seven autistic children and their parents, from seven diverse preschool settings in Ireland. RESULTS: Two overarching themes were identified: (1) outdoor play preferences and meaning and (2) the physical and social environments of outdoor play. The findings suggest that autistic preschoolers demonstrate distinctive play styles and preferences when playing freely outdoors, with physical and social barriers to outdoor play existing in community and educational contexts. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings suggest that autistic preschoolers' outdoor play styles and preferences require support from adult advocates. Although the importance of relationships and social play cannot be overlooked, infrastructural accommodations for parents and schools are required if we are to create supportive and inclusive outdoor play environments and opportunities for freedom of expression for autistic children. Plain-Language Summary: This study explored the distinctive outdoor play preferences, opportunities, and challenges for autistic preschoolers. The findings show that autistic preschoolers face physical and social barriers to outdoor play and that they need parents, schools, and communities to create supportive and inclusive play environments and opportunities for freedom of expression.
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Transtorno Autístico , Jogos e Brinquedos , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Humanos , Pré-Escolar , Masculino , Feminino , Irlanda , Transtorno Autístico/reabilitação , Meio SocialRESUMO
IMPORTANCE: The transactions between the physical environment and children's play have not been well studied. The theory of affordances provides a way to better understand how environmental characteristics offer opportunities for play occupation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between environmental characteristics of outdoor play spaces and children's outdoor play and to develop an environmental taxonomy to support the analysis of play affordances in community play spaces. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed literature (1974-2023) was sourced from a previously published scoping review (Morgenthaler, Schulze, et al., 2023). The Academic Search Complete, Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched using the keywords and synonyms of playground, environmental qualities, and children with and without disabilities. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: A secondary analysis of the previously published scoping review was conducted. Included studies were those that provided descriptions of physical environment-play activity transactions. FINDINGS: A qualitative content analysis of 45 articles was conducted and used to form an environmental taxonomy. This taxonomy consisted of 14 space and object categories defined by their functional qualities and linked to play affordances. An array of 284 play occupations were identified in different forms. Play affordances of spaces and object categories and their functional environmental qualities were subsequently identified. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study provides evidence to support the understanding of how the physical environment shapes children's outdoor play occupations. Plain-Language Summary: The study authors developed the Environmental Taxonomy of Outdoor Play Space Features as a tool that occupational therapists can use to better understand and describe how the physical environment shapes opportunities for play. The tool could also be useful to justify environmental intervention in schools and public playgrounds to create spaces that support more play for a diversity of children.
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Jogos e Brinquedos , Humanos , Criança , Planejamento Ambiental , Meio Ambiente , Crianças com DeficiênciaRESUMO
Occupational therapists view play through a unique lens. Considering play as a human occupation, and one to which all people have a right, places occupational therapists among a special group of professionals championing play. This State of the Science article seeks to increase awareness regarding the occupational therapy profession's contributions and to situate those contributions within the larger body of literature on play while also promoting further study of play as an occupation.
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Terapia Ocupacional , Jogos e Brinquedos , Humanos , PesquisaRESUMO
IMPORTANCE: Internationally, it is suggested that school-based occupational therapy (SBOT) has an important role in supporting inclusion in educational settings. In SBOT, multitiered service delivery models are identified as a way forward to maximize school inclusion. Therefore, identifying evidence for the implementation of tiered interventions in SBOT is vital. OBJECTIVE: To identify and map evidence in the occupational therapy literature relating to SBOT interventions delivered in elementary schools for all children, for those at risk, and for those with identified diagnoses. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed literature published in 14 occupational therapy journals between 1990 and 2020, indexed in the EBSCOhost database. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: Included studies were those within the scope of SBOT that reported on school occupations and focused on elementary school-age children (excluding kindergarteners or preschoolers). FINDINGS: Forty studies met the criteria. Individual-tier intervention studies (n = 22) primarily reported direct interventions with children at risk or with identified diagnoses (Tier 2 or Tier 3), focusing mostly on remedial approaches. None adopted a whole-school approach. Despite handwriting and self-regulation being dominant areas of concern, these studies were not explicitly related to inclusion outcomes. Evidence for implementing multitiered models primarily used indirect, collaborative consultation, embedded in the school context (n = 18). These studies identified positive school staff and child outcomes when collaboration was timely, consistent, and authentic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: More rigorous individual-tier intervention studies are required to inform the design and implementation of multitiered interventions in SBOT and to support participation and inclusion in schools. What This Article Adds: This scoping review provides evidence to support occupational therapists' professional reasoning in developing evidence-based, contextual, educationally relevant multitiered models of intervention in SBOT.
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Terapia Ocupacional , Criança , Humanos , Instituições Acadêmicas , Ocupações , Terapeutas OcupacionaisRESUMO
AIMS: This research tested the anti-Campylobacter properties of organic acids (OA), medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and essential oils (EO) in vitro and commenced in vivo suitability testing focused on broiler performance. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine active compounds were tested at different concentrations and times against Campylobacter jejuni in sterile distilled water, Mueller Hinton broth and grower feed digestate (GFD). Sodium caprate (1.5%, v/v), thymol (0.25% and 2.5%, v/v), carvacrol (1.25%, v/v) and potassium sorbate (1.5%, v/v) each achieved C. jejuni reductions of ≥4.5 log10 CFU per ml in GFD, the matrix most representative of the broiler gut, after 60 s. Similar reductions were achieved after 60 min with lactic acid (1.25%, v/v), formic acid (3.1%, v/v), sodium caprylate (1.5%, v/v) and carvacrol (1.25%, v/v). However, in vivo these compounds adversely affected broiler performance, resulting in dimished water intake and reduced weight. CONCLUSIONS: OA, MFCA and EO based compounds are effective anti-Campylobacter treatments in laboratory model studies but cannot be applied in vivo. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study illustrates that OAs, MCFAs and EOs can achieve significant reductions in Campylobacter in vitro but identifies a major issue, inhibition of broiler performance, preventing their use in practice.
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Infecções por Campylobacter , Campylobacter jejuni , Óleos Voláteis , Doenças das Aves Domésticas , Ração Animal/análise , Animais , Galinhas , Ácidos Graxos , Óleos Voláteis/farmacologiaRESUMO
AIMS: The aim was to exploit whole genome sequencing (WGS) to assess genomic diversity, identify virulence genes and deduce the proportion of Campylobacter colonized broilers that directly contaminate their carcasses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Campylobacter jejuni isolates (107) from caeca and carcass neck skin samples (50 pairs from the same batch plus 7 individual caeca) sampled at three poultry slaughterhouses over a one-year period were selected for sequencing (MiSeq; Illumina). FastQ files were submitted to BioNumerics for analysis using the wgMLST scheme for allele calling. Campylobacter cgMLST and hierarchical clustering was performed by applying the single linkage algorithm. Sequence types (STs) were determined in silico from the WGS data and isolates were assigned into clonal complexes (CCs) using the Campylobacter PubMLST.org database. Virulence genes were determined by downloading core sequences from the virulence factor database (VFDB) and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). A high degree of diversity was observed with 23 different STs identified. ST257 and CC-21 were the most common STs and CCs, respectively. cgMLST analysis suggested that 56% of carcass contamination was a direct result of contamination from caeca from the same batch. Virulence genes known to play a role in human C. jejuni infection were identified such as the wlaN gene and the genes associated with lipooligosaccharide synthesis, which were identified in 30% of isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Caecal colonization was the more plausible occurring source of C. jejuni contamination of broiler carcasses, compared with cross-contamination from another batch or the environment. The high rate of genetic diversity observed amongst caecal isolates is consistent with a wide variety of Campylobacter strains circulating in poultry flocks in Ireland. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: The results will further inform broiler processors and regulators about the influence and importance of on-farm colonization versus slaughterhouse cross-contamination and the relationship between C. jejuni in caeca and carcasses during processing.
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Infecções por Campylobacter , Campylobacter jejuni , Campylobacter , Animais , Humanos , Campylobacter jejuni/genética , Matadouros , Aves Domésticas , Virulência/genética , Galinhas , Infecções por Campylobacter/veterinária , Sequenciamento Completo do Genoma , Genômica , Fatores de Virulência/genéticaRESUMO
This study examined the impact of key processing stages and flock variables on the prevalence of Campylobacter on broiler carcasses. Overall, the prevalence of Campylobacter was 62% in caeca, and 68%, 65% and 62% in neck skin samples collected after evisceration, final wash and carcass chilling, respectively. Campylobacter were found in 32% of caeca, and 52%, 40% and 32% of neck skin samples collected after evisceration, final wash and carcass chilling, respectively from first thin broiler batches. Final thin broiler batches were more frequently contaminated with prevalences of 83% found in caeca, 80% in neck skin samples collected after evisceration and 83% found in neck skin samples collected after both final wash and carcass chilling stages (p < 0.05). Thinning status had a significant effect on Campylobacter counts with significantly higher counts observed in samples from final thin batches (p < 0.05). Highest Campylobacter concentrations in neck skin samples were observed at the evisceration stage in both first and final thin samples, with counts ranging from 2.0 to 3.8 log10 CFU/g and 2.3 to 4.8 log10 CFU/g in first and final thin batches, respectively. All first thin samples had counts below the European Union (EU) Process Hygiene Criterion threshold level of 3 log10 CFU/g after chilling while 52% of final thin batches had counts above this limit.
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Campylobacter/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Carne/microbiologia , Matadouros , Animais , Campylobacter/isolamento & purificação , Ceco/microbiologia , Galinhas , Contagem de Colônia Microbiana , Contaminação de Alimentos/análise , Manipulação de Alimentos/métodos , Manipulação de Alimentos/normas , HigieneRESUMO
Salmonella carriage in pigs is a significant food safety issue. This study describes a new protocol of Salmonella infection based on exposure to an artificially contaminated environment that closely mimics natural exposure to the organism. The aim of the study was to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of this protocol, which could then be used as a tool in the investigation of control measures. In addition, Salmonella shedding pattern and growth performance of the pigs were examined. Trial pigs (n = 10) were placed in a pen that had been previously contaminated by housing two pigs experimentally challenged with a monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium (mST). A further 10 pigs were placed in a Salmonella-free pen. Pigs were weighed on days 0 and 28. Feces was collected on days 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 and examined for the presence and quantity of Salmonella. The trial was replicated once. All pigs in the contaminated pens shed Salmonella within the first 2 days of exposure with values ranging from 100 to 104 CFU/g. The noninfected pigs had significantly higher final body weights on day 28 than those exposed to the Salmonella contaminated environment in both replicates. The pigs in the Salmonella-free pen had significantly higher average daily weight gain over the 28-day period compared to the infected animals (p < 0.001). Although not significant, numerical improvements in average daily feed intake and feed conversion efficiency were observed in the Salmonella-free pigs when compared to the contaminated pigs. The approach used was successful in infecting pigs with Salmonella without the need for direct inoculation or exposure to seeder pigs. This "natural" method of infection in which pigs are exposed to low levels of environmental contamination with Salmonella may be an effective tool that could be utilized when investigating control measures.
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Derrame de Bactérias , Salmonelose Animal/transmissão , Salmonella typhimurium/isolamento & purificação , Doenças dos Suínos/transmissão , Suínos/microbiologia , Animais , Contagem de Colônia Microbiana , Estudos de Viabilidade , Fezes/microbiologia , Feminino , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Doenças dos Suínos/microbiologiaRESUMO
Clostridium difficile is an important enteric pathogen in humans causing infections in the healthcare environment and the community. Carriage of C. difficile and C. difficile-related enterocolitis has been reported in piglets worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of C. difficile isolation from pigs in Ireland. Faecal samples from piglet litters and sows were collected from six farms in 2015. The sows were non-diarrhoeal at the time of sampling. The diarrhoeal status of the piglets was unknown. C. difficile was isolated from 34/44 (77%) of piglet litter samples and from 33/156 (21%) of sow samples. The isolation rate in sows varied from 3 to 39% and in piglet litters from 72 to 86% depending on farm location. Toxin A and toxin B were present in 99% (66/67) of isolates; and binary toxin in 85% (57/67). Only PCR-ribotypes 078 (88%) and 193 (12%) were identified in piglets. Seven PCR-ribotypes were detected in sow C. difficile isolates: PCR-ribotypes 078 (67%), 050 (12%), 014/020 (6%), 015 (6%), 029 (3%), 035 (3%) and 193 (3%). This study shows that toxigenic C. difficile strains such as PCR-ribotype 078 can be commonly isolated from pigs at different geographical locations in Ireland. Since PCR-ribotype 078 is frequently found in humans in Ireland, this highlights the potential for interspecies transmission.
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Clostridioides difficile/classificação , Clostridioides difficile/genética , Infecções por Clostridium/veterinária , Ribotipagem , Doenças dos Suínos/epidemiologia , Doenças dos Suínos/microbiologia , Animais , Clostridioides difficile/isolamento & purificação , Fazendas , Irlanda/epidemiologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Suínos , Doenças dos Suínos/transmissãoAssuntos
COVID-19 , Terapia Ocupacional , Telemedicina , Telerreabilitação , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Criança , Humanos , PandemiasRESUMO
Mindfulness has been practiced by global leaders and companies as an efficient way to build effective leadership. Because of its popularity, plus the lack of a comprehensive theoretical framework that explains it in a leadership context, the research literature has called for a coherent account of the qualities that is derived by those leaders that practice mindfulness. Here, we aim to answer that call, by clarifying what leadership qualities can develop from practicing mindfulness. We report on a semi-systematic literature review of extant research, covering 19 research articles published between 2000 and 2021, plus other relevant supporting literature from the disciplines of leadership and neuropsychology. Our proposed framework consists of three main qualities of the mindful leader: attention, awareness, and authenticity. We call them the "three pillars of mindful leaders." We also propose that mindfulness meditation must be integrated into our proposed framework, as we are convinced that leaders who hope to benefit from these qualities must integrate a regular mindfulness meditation practice into their daily leadership life.
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Introduction: Occupational therapists often use play-based approaches to facilitate children's occupational development and promote participation, for example, play-based occupational therapy, play therapy and playwork. However, where does play occupation fit, within these adult-guided play-based approaches in occupational therapy? Purpose: To examine and discuss the play-work occupation continuum of children to inform occupational therapy practice. Key Issues: Children's play occupations are free-selected, unstructured, internally-controlled, spontaneous and intrinsically-motivated. Yet, occupational therapists often utilize play as a therapeutic modality to support occupational development for occupations other than play. This use of play represents play-based work occupations as they are structured, externally-controlled, adult-guided, goal-focused and extrinsically-motivated. Play occupations then move from being authentic free-play to adult-guided play-based work occupations for children. Implications: When working with children and families, occupational therapists need to balance the use of self-selected, unstructured play occupations with the application of adult-guided, structured, goal-focused play-based work occupations.
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Terapia Ocupacional , Adulto , Humanos , Criança , Ludoterapia , Ocupações , Atividades Cotidianas , Terapeutas OcupacionaisRESUMO
PURPOSE: Public playgrounds afford children and families important opportunities for outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion. Unfortunately, many children and families experience barriers to accessing, using, and being included in public playgrounds. Consequently, Universal Design (UD) is promoted for providing conceptual guidance for designing for inclusion in public playgrounds. However, a lack of research evidence means researchers have engaged in the ongoing interpretation of the UD concept and related non-discriminatory planning and design concepts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how UD, and related concepts, are used in peer-reviewed articles concerning public playgrounds. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in November 2019, which identified 15 peer-reviewed articles that met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that the terms UD, inclusive design, accessibility, and usability are all being used to describe non-discriminatory planning and design concepts arbitrarily and without regard for higher or lower order concepts. Two broad interpretations were evident: (a) UD is synonymous with accessibility for some, and (b) UD is a higher-order concept that goes beyond accessibility for others. Nevertheless, findings highlight the utility of UD in underpinning the design of public playgrounds in many developed countries; however, the concept requires further clarity and specificity as it pertains to playground design and more pertinently inclusion in outdoor play. CONCLUSIONS: We argue for further conceptual refinement to consolidate the importance and future application of UD for Play (UDP) in the design of public playgrounds that promote outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMost peer-reviewed journal articles reviewed fail to define what is meant by the term Universal Design.Of those that do provide a definition, the outcome of inclusion in play, or the application of Universal Design to enable play in public playgrounds was unclear.Research to date has mostly focused on related concepts, including accessibility and usability, with less emphasis on Universal Design.Recommend a tailored perspective of Universal Design for Play (UDP).
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Acessibilidade Arquitetônica , Desenho Universal , Criança , Humanos , Parques Recreativos , Difosfato de UridinaRESUMO
For children, playgrounds are important environments. However, children's perspectives are often not acknowledged in playground provision, design, and evaluation. This scoping review aimed to summarize the users' (children with and without disabilities) perspectives on environmental qualities that enhance their play experiences in community playgrounds. Published peer-reviewed studies were systematically searched in seven databases from disciplines of architecture, education, health, and social sciences; 2905 studies were screened, and the last search was performed in January 2023. Included studies (N = 51) were charted, and a qualitative content analysis was conducted. Five themes were formed which provided insights into how both physical and social environmental qualities combined provide for maximum play value in outdoor play experiences. These multifaceted play experiences included the desire for fun, challenge, and intense play, the wish to self-direct play, and the value of playing alone as well as with known people and animals. Fundamentally, children wished for playgrounds to be children's places that were welcoming, safe, and aesthetically pleasing. The results are discussed in respect to social, physical, and atmospheric environmental affordances and the adult's role in playground provision. This scoping review represents the valuable insights of children regardless of abilities and informs about how to maximise outdoor play experiences for all children.
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Confiabilidade dos Dados , Jogos e Brinquedos , Ciências Sociais , EscolaridadeRESUMO
For children, meaningful participation in community life includes being able to access places for play. Such community playspaces are potentially important for all children, including those with disabilities. Yet, children are rarely asked for their views on the design of playspaces, which can further contribute to exclusionary practices and undermine children's rights to share their views on matters that affect them. In this scoping review, we aim to analyze guidelines and identify strategies for supporting children's participation rights when planning public playspaces. Guidelines are practical tools used by local policymakers when creating community playspaces, which are important sites for children's outdoor play. In total, forty-two guidelines were identified that addressed children's participation rights, along with community involvement. Qualitative evidence synthesis with a "best fit" framework approach was used, informed by Lundy's model of children's participation. The findings revealed the importance of initial community involvement as a critical prerequisite. Strategies for children's participation mostly concerned "space and voice" (for children of diverse abilities), with little attention paid to giving their views due weight. This evidence shows that there is a significant gap in knowledge surrounding policy development and implementation to support adults and children to cooperate equally in designing playspaces. Future directions for research in children's participation require a focus on combined community-children participation approaches in public playspace design. Such work could strengthen and facilitate the role of adults as bearers of the duty to implement the rights of children. This review generated inclusive strategies in planning public playspaces, which could support local policymakers in this complex multi-layered process.
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Participação da Comunidade , Pessoas com Deficiência , Adulto , Humanos , Formulação de Políticas , PrevisõesRESUMO
Autistic children with sensory processing differences successfully navigate and engage in meaningful family daily occupations within home and community environments through the support of their family. To date however, much of the research on autistic children with sensory processing differences, has primarily been deficit focused, while much of the caregiver research has focused on issues of distress, burden, effort, and emotional trauma in coping with their child's diagnosis. This study aimed to conduct a qualitative evidence synthesis, using a meta-ethnographic approach to explore the gap identified in understanding successful occupational experiences of family participation and daily family routines when supporting an autistic child with sensory processing differences and to offer an alternative strengths-based perspective. Inclusion criteria were studies which were peer-reviewed qualitative design, published from 2000 to 2021, and that concerned parents/caregivers' perspectives of family occupations of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Studies were electronically searched in eight databases from October to December 2021 and 23 studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria. Noblit and Hare's seven step approach for conducting analysis in meta-ethnography was used, and three themes identified: (1) sensory processing differences in daily life, (2) what is hard about hard, and (3) orchestrating family life. Results identified the centrality of sensory experiences in understanding family life. Living with unpredictability while orchestrating certainty through routines was core to successful participation. This review provides insights into how parents negotiate the complexities of constructing family life when living with an autistic child. The results can inform the design of future interventions that specifically address the relationship between meaningful participation in family occupations and daily routines and sensory processing in autistic children. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022298938, identifier: CRD42022298938.
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PURPOSE: To synthesize evidence regarding the physical design features and non-physical aspects of public playgrounds that facilitate/hinder outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion; identify design recommendations; and explore the current discourses and concepts around designing for outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion in public playgrounds in the context of Universal Design (UD). METHODS: Published studies addressing public playgrounds, inclusion, and design, were identified via a systematic search of eleven databases from health, science, education, and humanities. RESULTS: Fifteen documents met the inclusion criteria. Three main themes were identified concerning physical design features and non-physical aspects of public playgrounds that facilitate/hinder outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion, with associated design recommendations. Although UD is recognized to have the potential to support the design of public playgrounds, no studies examined UD solutions for playgrounds or tested them for effectiveness. CONCLUSION: We cannot yet determine whether UD can support outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion in public playgrounds. Research to date has mostly focused on understanding users' perspectives; future research should continue to be informed by diverse users' perspectives to address gaps in knowledge concerning children's voice from migrants, lower socioeconomic communities, and intergenerational users with disabilities alongside researching design solutions for play.Implications for rehabilitationChildren, particularly children with disabilities and their families, continue to experience marginalization and exclusion in public playgrounds, despite a commitment to inclusion in international treaties.Universal design is recognized to have the potential to support the design of public playgrounds, however, the evidence is currently very sparse.While accessibility is an important consideration for playground design, it does not ensure that play occupations can take place.Extending knowledge on universal design as it applies explicitly to playgrounds and play occupation requires multi- and trans-disciplinary collaboration that includes a play-centered perspective.
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Pessoas com Deficiência , Participação Social , Criança , Humanos , Parques Recreativos , Jogos e Brinquedos , Desenho UniversalRESUMO
Campylobacter is the most common foodborne pathogen in developed countries and most cases are associated with poultry. This study investigated the effect of three anti-Campylobacter water additives on broiler growth and on the caecal microbiota at harvest using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Mixtures of organic acids (OA) and essential oils (EO) were administered to broilers for the entirety of the production cycle (35 d) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) for 5 d immediately before harvest, under commercial conditions. Bird weight gain was significantly (p < 0.001) reduced in broilers receiving the OA and EO treatments. While this was most likely due to reduced water intake and corresponding lower feed consumption, changes to the caecal microbiota may also have contributed. Firmicutes made up over 75% of the bacteria regardless of sample type, while the minor phyla included Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Melainabacteria, and Proteobacteria. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in the alpha diversity as measured using ACE, Chao1, and Shannon indices, except for control (water) versus MCFA and OA versus MCFA, using the Wilcox test. In contrast, there was a significant (p < 0.05) difference in beta diversity when the treated were compared to the untreated control and main flock samples, while linear discriminant analysis effect size (LeFSe) identified three OTUs that were present in the control but absent in the treated birds. It was concluded that the water additives tested adversely affected broiler performance, which may, at least in part, be due to changes in the caecal microbiota, assuming that the altered microbiota at day 35 is indicative of a change throughout the production cycle.
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16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to investigate changes in the broiler gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota throughout the rearing period and in combination with antibiotic treatment. Thirty birds (from a commercial flock) were removed at multiple points throughout the rearing period on days 13, 27, and 33, euthanised, and their GIT aseptically removed and divided into upper (the crop, proventriculus, and the gizzard), middle (the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and lower (the large intestine, the caeca, and the cloaca) sections. In a separate commercial flock, on the same farm with similar husbandry practices and feed, doxycycline (100 mg/ml per kg body weight) was administered in drinking water between day 8 and 12 (inclusive) of the production cycle. Birds were removed on days, 13, 27, and 33 and GIT samples prepared as above. The contents of three merged samples from each GIT section were pooled (n = 60), the DNA extracted and analysed by 16S rRNA amplicon metagenomic sequencing and analysed. Major changes in the broiler microbiota were observed as the birds aged particularly with the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F:B) of the lower GIT. Moreover, Chao1, ACE, and Shannon indices showed the antibiotic treatment significantly altered the microbiota, and this change persisted throughout the rearing period. Further research is required to investigate the effect of these changes on bird performance, susceptibility to infections and Campylobacter carriage.
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In 2008, an EU wide baseline survey of broilers revealed a high Campylobacter prevalence. To assist with industry-wide controls, updated data were required. The primary objective of this study was to establish up-to-date data on Campylobacter carriage and carcass contamination in Irish broilers. Monthly samples were collected from the three largest broiler processing plants in Ireland over a twelve-month period. Samples were taken from both first and final thin birds (partial and full depopulation) from 358 batches of broilers. From each batch, a composite sample of 10 caecal contents (n = 358) and 5 neck skins (n = 1790) were collected and numbers of Campylobacter in each sample were determined. Of the 1790 neck skin samples tested, 53% were Campylobacter positive. Campylobacter was detected in the caecal contents of 66% of all batches tested. Depopulation and/or age had a significant effect on Campylobacter prevalence with 67% of final thin broilers yielding Campylobacter-positive neck skin samples in contrast to 38% of first thin broilers that yielded positive neck skin samples (P ≤ 0.002). A significant seasonal variation was observed in the rate of Campylobacter-positive caecal samples with higher prevalence seen in July (85%) than the colder months of November (61%), December (50%), January (61%) March (57%) and April (59%). Neck skin samples were 7 times more likely to be Campylobacter positive if the caecal contents from the same batch were positive (odds ratio = 7.1; P ≤ 0.0001). The decrease in Campylobacter prevalence observed in neck skin and caecal contents demonstrates the improvements and progress made in reducing prevalences of this important enteropathogen in the Irish poultry industry since the 2008 EU baseline survey. It also provides further supporting data on the impact of thinning, the processing environment and season on Campylobacter prevalence.