Tasas de infección, IgG, IgM y anticuerpos fijadores de complemento para campylobacter jejuni/coli en trabajadores de plantas faenadoras de aves en Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Frequency of infection with Campylobacter jejuni/coli and the occurrence of IgG, IgM and complement fixing antibodies against the agent in workers in poultry abattoirs in Santiago, Chile Campylobacter jejuni/coli (Cj/c) was isolated from 13 (11.3%) of faeces samples from 115 workers in poultry abattoirs in the region of Santiago (Chile). Only 7 of the strains could be placed within the 6 known types. In relation to type of abattoir work, isolations were more frequent among workers concerned with evisceration (p &lt; 0.05) than in employees doing other tasks (17.6% and 6.2%, respectively). Specific complement fixing antibodies (CF) against Cj/c were detected in 33% of the employees who had direct contact with birds or carcases, whereas in the other employees only 10% had CF, which was significantly lower (p &lt; 0.009). Low antibody concentrations of IgG were found in both groups (7.8% and 3%, respectively). The frequency of IgM antibodies was similar in the two groups (58.2% and 60.8%). When employees concerned specifically with evisceration were tested, IgM were significantly more common (p < 0.05) than among other employees in the abattoir. Differences in the freequency of PC and IgG between infected and non‐infected persons were not determined although the infected personnel had a significantly lower frequency (p < 0.05) of IgM than uninfected employees.