BACKGROUND Small-scale poultry production is widespread and increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Exposure to enteropathogens in poultry feces increases the hazard of human infection and related sequela, and the burden of disease due to enteric infection in children <5 y in particular is substantial. Yet, the containment and management of poultry-associated fecal waste in informal settings in LMICs is largely unregulated. OBJECTIVES To improve the understanding of potential exposures to enteropathogens carried by chickens, we used mixed methods to map and quantify microbial hazards along production value chains among broiler, layer, and indigenous chickens in Maputo, Mozambique. METHODS To map and describe the value chains, we conducted 77 interviews with key informants working in locations where chickens and related products are sold, raised, and butchered. To quantify microbial hazards, we collected chicken carcasses (n=75) and fecal samples (n=136) from chickens along the value chain and assayed them by qPCR for the chicken-associated bacterial enteropathogens C. jejuni/coli and Salmonella spp. RESULTS We identified critical hazard points along the chicken value chains and identified management and food hygiene practices that contribute to potential exposures to chicken-sourced enteropathogens. We detected C. jejuni/coli in 84 (76%) of fecal samples and 52 (84%) of carcass rinses and Salmonella spp. in 13 (11%) of fecal samples and 16 (21%) of carcass rinses. Prevalence and level of contamination increased as chickens progressed along the value chain, from no contamination of broiler chicken feces at the start of the value chain to 100% contamination of carcasses with C. jejuni/coli at informal markets. Few hazard mitigation strategies were found in the informal sector. DISCUSSION High prevalence and concentration of C. jejuni/coli and Salmonella spp. contamination along chicken value chains suggests a high potential for exposure to these enteropathogens associated with chicken production and marketing processes in the informal sector in our study setting. We identified critical control points, such as the carcass rinse step and storage of raw chicken meat, that could be intervened in to mitigate risk, but regulation and enforcement pose challenges. This mixed-methods approach can also provide a model to understand animal value chains, sanitary risks, and associated exposures in other settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11761.

中文翻译：

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量化莫桑比克马普托鸡肉价值链上的肠病原体污染：采用多学科和混合方法来识别高暴露环境。

背景技术小规模家禽生产在低收入和中等收入国家(LMIC)中很普遍并且不断增加。接触家禽粪便中的肠道病原体会增加人类感染和相关后遗症的风险，尤其是 <5 岁儿童肠道感染造成的疾病负担相当大。然而，中低收入国家非正式环境中与家禽相关的粪便废物的遏制和管理基本上不受监管。目标 为了提高对鸡携带的肠道病原体潜在暴露的了解，我们使用混合方法绘制和量化了莫桑比克马普托肉鸡、蛋鸡和本土鸡生产价值链上的微生物危害。方法 为了绘制和描述价值链，我们对在鸡及相关产品销售、饲养和屠宰地点工作的主要知情人进行了 77 次访谈。为了量化微生物危害，我们从价值链上的鸡身上收集了鸡尸体 (n=75) 和粪便样本 (n=136)，并通过 qPCR 对其进行了与鸡相关的细菌性肠道病原体空肠弯曲菌/大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌属的检测。结果我们确定了鸡肉价值链上的关键危险点，并确定了导致潜在接触鸡肉来源肠道病原体的管理和食品卫生实践。我们在 84 个（76%）粪便样本和 52 个（84%）屠体冲洗液和沙门​​氏菌样本中检测到空肠弯曲菌/大肠杆菌。存在于 13 份（11%）粪便样本和 16 份（21%）尸体冲洗液中。随着鸡沿着价值链前进，污染的流行率和水平不断增加，从价值链起点的肉鸡粪便没有污染到非正规市场上屠体 100% 被空肠弯曲菌/大肠杆菌污染。在非正规部门几乎没有发现减灾策略。讨论 空肠弯曲菌/大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌属的高流行率和浓度。鸡肉价值链上的污染表明，在我们的研究背景下，非正规部门的鸡肉生产和营销过程中接触这些肠道病原体的可能性很高。我们确定了关键控制点，例如屠体冲洗步骤和生鸡肉的储存，可以进行干预以降低风险，但监管和执法带来了挑战。这种混合方法还可以提供一个模型来了解动物价值链、卫生风险以及其他环境中的相关暴露。https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11761。