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Aims: Campylobacter contamination in French chicken production from the farm to the consumer was determined using a PCR assay for bacteria detection and identi®cation. Methods and Results: Samples were bird droppings from poultry houses, neck skins, livers, hearts, gizzards, wings, legs and escalopes from slaughterhouses and gizzards, legs, drumstick, breast and escalopes from a supermarket. Bacterial DNA extraction was performed after an enrichment step in a broth and was followed by PCR. An internal control (IC) was used for both DNA extraction and PCR. Campylobacter were detected in 79á2% of poultry houses. Of the 303 samples, 201 were Campylobacter-positive (i.e. 66á3%) including 43á2% faecal samples, 5á6% slaughterhouse samples and 17á5% supermarket samples. There was no signi®cant difference between the molecular method and the conventional culture technique for Campylobacter detection whatever the samples. The sensitivity was 5 UFC g)1 of samples and 1á5´10 3 UFC ml )1 of enrichment broth. The use of IC revealed PCR inhibition in 13 samples and problems in the DNA extraction in ®ve samples. Conclusions: Signi®cant Campylobacter contamination affects all stages of French chicken production. Signi®cance and Impact of the Study: The understanding of Campylobacter contamination at different levels of chicken production and the determination of the best place(s) for intervention are important for signi®cantly decreasing Campylobacteriosis. Our technique is rapid and can be used on different chicken samples for Campylobacter detection and identi®cation.

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