Culture-Based Detection of Campylobacter spp. in Farmed and Free-Ranging Common Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) from Eastern Poland: Distribution in Intestinal and Edible Tissue Samples and Species Identification by PCR and MALDI-TOF MS

Campylobacter spp. are important foodborne pathogens, but data on their occurrence in common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) and their distribution between intestinal and edible tissue samples remain limited. This study aimed to compare the culture-based occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in farmed and free-ranging pheasants from eastern Poland and to identify the recovered isolates by multiplex PCR and MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 154 pheasants were examined, including 71 farmed and 83 free-ranging birds. Cloacal swabs, caecal contents, liver tissue, and pectoral muscle samples were collected from each bird, giving 616 samples in total. PCR-confirmed Campylobacter isolates were recovered from 20/71 farmed pheasants (28.2%) and from none of the 83 free-ranging pheasants (p < 0.001). Among farmed birds, isolates were recovered from 16/71 cloacal swabs (22.5%), 7/71 liver samples (9.9%), and 5/71 pectoral muscle samples (7.0%); no isolates were obtained from caecal contents. Of 28 isolates, 23 (82.1%) were identified as C. jejuni and 5 (17.9%) as C. coli. MALDI-TOF MS species assignments were concordant with multiplex PCR for all isolates. Under the sampling periods and conditions examined, viable Campylobacter was recovered from farmed pheasants, including liver and pectoral muscle samples, whereas no confirmed isolates were obtained from the sampled free-ranging pheasants. Because the two groups differed in sampling period, age and sex structure, and geographical origin, the observed difference cannot be attributed exclusively to husbandry status.