Industrial Chicken Farming Linked to Evolution of Foodborne Bacteria Strains
A study by the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research has found that industrial chicken farming has significantly increased the spread and evolution of Campylobacter, a leading cause of foodborne illness. Researchers analyzed nearly 2,800 bacterial genomes from chickens and wild birds across 30 countries, including the USA, from 1979 to 2024. The study highlights how the global expansion of chicken farming has created conditions for Campylobacter to spread and acquire new traits, including antimicrobial resistance. This evolution poses challenges for treating infections and underscores the impact of large-scale farming on bacterial adaptation. 
