The main aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of campylobacteriosis in population of Polish heifers. An additional objective was to compare two independent methods used in diagnosis of the disease: culture and PCR. The 1,600 vaginal swabs from heifer origin from different farms of Poland were investigated using both methods. The results showed that the percentage of positive samples was 0.75% when the culture method was used, while the application of PCR method has shown 1.81% positive results.
Forty-three C.f.s.f. strains and 19 C. jejuni strains from miscarried sheep foetuses and rectal mucosa smears were isolated. The C.f.s.f. strains were used to prepare 4 vaccines. The dynamics of the occurrence of antibodies against anti-Campylobacter in the sheep immunized with these vaccines was similar. The highest mean titres were found from experimental weeks 8 to 10. The vaccine applied in disease focus revealed satisfactory protective properties. The results obtained made it possible to select the strains which can be used for immunization of sheep.