Table_2_Salmonella enterica frequency in backyard chickens in Vermont and biosecurity knowledge and practices of owners.docx

The popularity of backyard chickens has been growing steadily over the past 10 years, with Covid-19 stay at home orders in 2020 yielding an added boost in popularity. Concurrently, cases of salmonellosis from live poultry exposure have also risen. Previous research on backyard chicken owners has focused primarily on urban chicken owners, which may have differing knowledge and biosecurity habits from rural backyard chicken owners. The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of S. enterica in rural and urban flocks of chickens in the state of Vermont and to determine what attitudes toward and knowledge about S. enterica owners had, as well as what biosecurity practices they used. We conducted two surveys in Vermont between 2019–2022; a pilot study tied to sampling for Salmonella enterica in backyard chicken flocks from 2019–2021 and a statewide study in 2022 to determine the prevalence of backyard chickens in Vermont and obtain representative survey data from backyard chicken owners. We found (i) overall, 19% (8/42) backyard chicken flocks from 2019–2021 had S. enterica, but S. enterica rates varied substantially by year; (ii) backyard chicken owners were wealthier and more educated than the average Vermonter and generally lived in rural areas; (iii) participants in the statewide survey had much lower uptake of good biosecurity habits compared to the pilot survey; (iv) despite increased messaging about backyard chicken-associated salmonellosis and good biosecurity measures over the past several years, uptake of biosecurity measures is inconsistent, and rates of unsafe practices such as kissing or cuddling chickens have increased in Vermont. Overall, the data indicate the need for improved messaging on biosecurity and risks associated with backyard chickens

过去十年间，后院养鸡的热度持续攀升，2020年新冠疫情居家令更是进一步推高了这一热潮。与此同时，因接触活禽引发的沙门氏菌感染病例也有所增加。
以往针对后院养鸡户的研究主要聚焦于城市养鸡人群，而乡村后院养鸡户在认知水平与生物安全习惯上或与城市群体存在差异。
本研究旨在调查佛蒙特州城乡鸡群中肠炎沙门氏菌（Salmonella enterica）的流行情况，并了解养鸡户对肠炎沙门氏菌的态度与认知水平，以及他们所采用的生物安全措施。
研究团队于2019至2022年间在佛蒙特州开展了两项调查：其一为2019至2021年间针对后院鸡群肠炎沙门氏菌采样的预试验研究，其二为2022年的全州范围调查，用于明确佛蒙特州后院养鸡的普及情况，并获取具有代表性的养鸡户调研数据。
研究结果显示：（i）2019至2021年间，共计19%（8/42）的后院鸡群检出肠炎沙门氏菌，但不同年份的检出率存在显著差异；（ii）后院养鸡户较佛蒙特州普通民众更为富裕、受教育程度更高，且大多居住在乡村地区；（iii）全州调查参与者的良好生物安全习惯普及率远低于预试验研究参与者；（iv）尽管近年针对后院养鸡相关沙门氏菌感染与良好生物安全措施的宣传有所增加，但生物安全措施的执行情况仍参差不齐，且在佛蒙特州，亲吻或拥抱鸡只等不安全行为的发生率有所上升。
综上，本研究数据表明，亟需针对后院养鸡相关的生物安全知识与风险加强宣传教育。