An interesting and informative conversation with Dr. Nivin Nasser, a food safety researcher.
On the second day of the International Production and Processing Exhibition held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the aviNews International team had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Nivin Nasser, a food safety researcher and expert, with emphasis on foodborne pathogens control in poultry products from the Poultry Science Department at Auburn University.
Many poultry farms in the MENA region struggle with high temperatures and limited ventilation. How do these conditions influence Campylobacter spread inside broiler houses?
High temperatures and weak ventilation — both common challenges in MENA poultry houses — create ideal conditions for Campylobacter to spread. Heat stress weakens gut integrity in birds, making them more susceptible to colonization. At the same time, poor airflow increases humidity and moisture in the litter, allowing Campylobacter to survive longer in the environment.
In many countries in the region, litter is already heavily contaminated due to high baseline prevalence. When birds pant under heat stress, they drink more, produce wetter droppings, and the pathogen circulates more easily through water lines, litter, and equipment. These environmental pressures help explain why Campylobacter prevalence in poultry across the region often exceeds 40–70%, as reported in Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, and others.
Fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines are widely used across the region. How does this routine use shape resistance patterns in Campylobacter, and what realistic alternatives can farms adopt?
Across the MENA region, fluoroquinolones (like ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin) and tetracyclines are widely used for prophylaxis, growth promotion, and treatment of common poultry diseases. This heavy, long‑term use creates strong selection pressure, and the review shows consistently high resistance levels:
- Ciprofloxacin resistance in poultry isolates often exceeds 60–90%
- Tetracycline resistance commonly ranges from 70–95%
Countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, and Jordan all show this pattern. In some cases, resistance is driven by cross‑use of related drugs — for example, enrofloxacin use in poultry driving ciprofloxacin resistance, or tylosin use contributing to macrolide resistance.
Realistic alternatives for farms include:
- Improving water sanitation, litter management, and ventilation to reduce disease pressure
- Using vaccination and better respiratory disease control to reduce reliance on tylosin and fluoroquinolones
- Applying probiotics, organic acids, and competitive exclusion products to reduce colonization pressure
- Implementing targeted treatments only when necessary, instead of routine flock‑wide medication
These steps are more feasible than expecting farms to eliminate antibiotics overnight, especially in low‑resource settings.
Water quality varies significantly across rural and peri‑urban areas. How does poor water sanitation contribute to Campylobacter persistence on farms, and what low‑cost treatment options are most effective?
Contaminated water is a major exposure route in developing countries, including many parts of the MENA region. Poor sanitation in rural and peri‑urban areas allows Campylobacter to persist in:
- Untreated drinking water
- Surface water used for cleaning
- Water lines with biofilm buildup
When birds drink contaminated water, the pathogen quickly spreads through the flock. Waterline biofilms also protect Campylobacter from environmental stress, allowing it to survive between cycles.
Effective low‑cost interventions include:
- Chlorination of drinking water
- Acidifiers to reduce pH and inhibit bacterial survival
- Regular flushing and descaling of water lines
- Ensuring water tanks are covered and cleaned to prevent contamination
These are inexpensive and immediately reduce pathogen load.
Many farms lack structured biosecurity programs. From your experience, which single biosecurity upgrade gives the highest return on investment for reducing Campylobacter introduction?
Based on patterns across the region, the most impactful single upgrade is controlled entry with proper hygiene barriers — specifically, a functional “clean–dirty” entry system with boots, handwashing, and dedicated clothing.
Why this one?
- Many MENA farms lack structured biosecurity, so human movement is a major introduction route.
- Campylobacter is easily carried on shoes, equipment, and clothing.
- Countries with high prevalence (Egypt, Algeria, Iran, Morocco) often report weak farm‑level biosecurity as a key driver.
A simple, enforced entry protocol dramatically reduces pathogen introduction without requiring major infrastructure changes.
Live bird markets remain part of the poultry supply chain in several MENA countries. How do these markets influence Campylobacter circulation between farms, and what practical interventions could reduce cross‑farm contamination?
Live bird markets are still common in Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Syria, and parts of the Arab Gulf. They act as amplifiers of Campylobacter because:
- Birds from multiple farms mix in crowded conditions
- Equipment and cages are reused without proper sanitation
- Birds return to farms or traders after exposure
- Transport crates move between farms and markets, carrying contamination
This creates a continuous loop of cross‑farm transmission.
Practical interventions include:
- Cleaning and disinfecting transport crates between uses
- Avoiding the return of unsold birds to farms
- Separating farms supplying live bird markets from those supplying processing plants
- Implementing basic hygiene rules for market workers
These steps reduce circulation without requiring the elimination of live bird markets, which is unrealistic in many countries.
Considering the high Campylobacter prevalence in MENA poultry, which farm‑level interventions—such as catching crew hygiene, thinning practices, feed withdrawal timing, or equipment sanitation—have the greatest impact before birds reach processing?
Given the consistently high prevalence in MENA poultry (often 40–70%), the most impactful interventions before birds reach the plant are:
- Catching crew hygiene
Catching crews often move between farms with minimal sanitation. Clean boots, gloves, and equipment can significantly reduce cross‑farm spread.
- Thinning practices
Thinning introduces external crews and equipment mid‑cycle, which is a major contamination point. Reducing or eliminating thinning lowers risk.
- Feed withdrawal timing
Overly long withdrawal increases fecal shedding during catching and transport. Optimizing timing reduces contamination of crates and carcasses.
- Equipment sanitation
Transport crates and modules are major reservoirs. Proper washing and disinfection between loads reduce contamination entering the plant.
These interventions are practical, cost‑effective, and directly address the contamination pathways highlighted across the region.
Conclusions
This insightful interview with Dr. Nivin Nasser highlights the complex, interconnected factors driving Campylobacter persistence across poultry systems in the MENA region.
- From environmental pressures such as heat stress and inadequate ventilation to structural challenges like poor water sanitation and weak biosecurity, the pathogen thrives in conditions that many farms struggle to control.
- Nasser’s insights underscore that antimicrobial resistance is not an isolated issue but a predictable outcome of long‑term reliance on fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides—patterns consistently documented across Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, and Jordan.
- Yet the solutions she outlines are both realistic and attainable.
- Improvements in water treatment, litter management, and ventilation, combined with targeted antibiotic use and the adoption of probiotics and organic acids, offer immediate pathways to reduce disease pressure.
- Equally important are practical biosecurity upgrades, especially controlled entry systems and better hygiene among catching crews, which can significantly limit pathogen introduction and spread.
Finally, addressing contamination loops created by live bird markets and transport equipment remains essential for long‑term progress. Together, these interventions form a roadmap for reducing Campylobacter prevalence and improving food safety across the region’s poultry sector.
