C-SNIPER: Campylobacter-Specific Nullification via Innovative Phage-mediated Enteropathogen Reduction

Campylobacter is one of the greatest concerns in the poultry sector of the European Union. Consump􀆟on of poultry products, specially chicken meat, is considered the most common route for human campylobacteriosis, the most frequently reported ood-borne illness in Europe and worldwide. Coloniza􀆟on of broiler chickens at farm level leads to transmission of ampylobacter along the produc􀆟on chain, resul􀆟ng in contamina􀆟on of poultry meat at retail level. Standard control measures at farm level rely upon the use of an􀆟bio􀆟cs, which promote the selec􀆟on and spread of ul􀆟drug resistant strains, an addi􀆟onal threat to public health. However, no effec􀆟ve alterna􀆟ve is currently available and pressure to reduce Campylobacter prevalence in poultry without use of medically-relevant an􀆟bio􀆟cs is rising. The C-SNIPER project aims to reduce the prevalence of Campylobacter in poultry through an innova􀆟ve, efficient and non-an􀆟bio􀆟c based mi􀆟ga􀆟on strategy that can be integrated into exis􀆟ng hygiene protocols. Specifically, this ac􀆟vity will develop a bacteriophage-based solu􀆟on to be used as natural an􀆟microbial in the farm (pre-harvest), slaughter and/or rocessing facili􀆟es (post-harvest). This development will improve the safety of poultry meat, reducing thereby the incidence of poultry-borne food poisoning, without impac􀆟ng on animal welfare.