author(s)
Vivekanandhan R, ZB Dubal, Muralikrishna P, Arun Prince Milton A, Anukampa Kadwalia, Vengatachalam M and Priyadharshini R

abstract
Campylobacteriosis is one of the leading causes of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. An investigation was conducted to determine the occurrence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. from free-ranging chickens. Chicken caecal samples were collected from fifty-four free-ranging chickens in Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh. Samples were processed using modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) plates. They were then incubated at the microaerophilic conditions at 42 °C for 48 h and the presumptive colonies were subjected to Gram stain and other biochemical tests. Finally, suspected colonies were confirmed by targeting lipid gene lpxA performing a multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Campylobacter coli was isolated from three (5.55%) caecal samples and was confirmed with mPCR assay. It is highly essential to educate the free-ranging poultry rearers about the biosecurity measures, principles of food safety and hygienic handling of birds during rearing, slaughtering and cooking process to reduce the incidence of human campylobacteriosis.