Industrial Poultry Farming Linked to 100-Fold Increase in Campylobacter Circulation, Study Reveals
A comprehensive study by the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research at the University of Oxford, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Pnas), indicates that industrial poultry farming has led to a more than 100-fold increase in the circulation of Campylobacter bacteria. Researchers analyzed nearly 2,800 bacterial genomes from chickens and wild birds across 30 countries between 1979 and 2024. The findings suggest that the massive global expansion of chicken farming has created ideal conditions for the bacteria to spread, mix, and acquire new characteristics that enhance its survival, including antimicrobial resistance, oxidative stress tolerance, and improved host colonization. Campylobacter infection is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in humans, primarily transmitted through contaminated poultry meat, causing symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and nausea. While generally benign, it can be fatal in rare cases for vulnerable populations ... 
