Whole genome sequencing analysis of Campylobacter hepaticus

The first Spotty Liver Disease case was reported by the meat and egg poultry industries in the UK and Australia more than 60 years ago as a disease mostly associated with the drop in egg production and high rates of mortality in the affected fowl. A novel thermophilic Campylobacter isolated from cases of SLD in the United Kingdom was reported in 2015 and similar isolates occurring in Australia were recently formally described as new species named Campylobacter hepaticus. We describe a comparative whole genome sequence and phylogenetic analysis of 10 C. hepaticus isolates from 5 different poultry holdings in the United Kingdom.