Reservoir Of Campylobacter Research Articles

A comparative study on antimicrobial susceptibility of campylobacter spp. Isolates from fecal samples of domestic animals and poultry in Tonekabon and Shiraz, Iran

During the past decade Campylobacter has been shown to be responsible for enteritis in human and animal. The natural habitats of most Campylobacter species are the intestines of birds and other warm-blooded animals. These organisms may enter the environment, including drinking water, through the feces of animals, birds or infected humans. Fecal samples of Domestic Animals and Poultry were subjected to survey frequency of occurrence of pathogenic Campylobacter spp. in Tonekabon and Shiraz. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was assessed to evaluate the rate of antibiotic resistant campylobacter's in both cities. The method for isolation of pathogenic Campylobacter spp. was Kapandis Baseri (pret- KB) and for antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was disk diffusion and E-test. A total of 28 and 37 Campylobacter spp. were isolated in Tonekabon and Shiraz, respectively. All pathogenic Campylobacter spp. isolates were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin, however, varied responses to other antibiotics have been observed among the isolates. In addition, lowest MIC values were found for Ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin and highest MIC values were found for Erythromycin, Chloramphenicol, Gentamicin and Tetracycline. Overall, based on our observations, domestic animals and poultry should be considered as reservoirs of Campylobacter spp. in both cities. Although, frequency of existence of antibiotic resistance Campylobacter in Tonekabon was relatively high, Ciprofloxacin resistant Campylobacter were isolated neither from Tonekabon nor Shiraz. The Result obtained from data statistical analyses showed significant correlation (P<0.05) between the isolation rate of susceptible strains of Campylobacter to Cefalexin, Cefalotin and Ampicillin in Tonekabon and Shiraz.

Identification of an Arsenic Resistance and Arsenic-Sensing System in Campylobacter jejuni

Arsenic is commonly present in the natural environment and is also used as a feed additive for animal production. Poultry is a major reservoir for Campylobacter jejuni, a major food-borne human pathogen causing gastroenteritis. It has been shown that Campylobacter isolates from poultry are highly resistant to arsenic compounds, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for the resistance have not been determined, and it is unclear if the acquired arsenic resistance affects the susceptibility of Campylobacter spp. to other antimicrobials. In this study, we identified a four-gene operon that contributes to arsenic resistance in Campylobacter. This operon encodes a putative membrane permease (ArsP), a transcriptional repressor (ArsR), an arsenate reductase (ArsC), and an efflux protein (Acr3). PCR analysis of various clinical C. jejuni isolates indicated a significant association of this operon with elevated resistance to arsenite and arsenate. Gene-specific mutagenesis confirmed the role of the ars operon in conferring arsenic resistance. It was further shown that this operon is subject to regulation by ArsR, which directly binds to the ars promoter and inhibits the transcription of the operon. Arsenite inhibits the binding of ArsR to the ars promoter DNA and induces the expression of the ars genes. Mutation of the ars genes did not affect the susceptibility of C. jejuni to commonly used antibiotics. These results identify the ars operon as an important mechanism for arsenic resistance and sensing in Campylobacter.

The role of litter beetles as potential reservoir for Salmonella enterica and thermophilic Campylobacter spp. between broiler flocks.

We evaluated the role of beetles infesting broiler chicken rearing facilities as potential reservoirs for Salmonella enterica infections between successive broiler flocks. In addition, their role as potential reservoirs for thermophilic Campylobacter spp. was also investigated. Fourteen broiler houses located at 11 different farms were included in the study. The houses were nonrandomly selected on the basis of their salmonella status; nine were persistently contaminated with salmonella whereas five were salmonella negative. For each broiler house, two consecutive broiler flocks (i.e., 28 broiler flocks in all) as well as beetles collected during both rotations of production and in the empty period (after cleaning and disinfection) between these flocks were monitored for the presence of salmonella. Examinations for the presence of campylobacter in the same sample materials were also performed. Beetles sampled during production were positive for salmonella or campylobacter or both. Furthermore, in one house, the occurrence of Salmonella indiana in two consecutive broiler flocks coincided with the presence of S. indiana-contaminated beetles in the empty period between the flocks. The genotype of the identified S. indiana was in all cases identical when analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. However, our results also suggest that salmonella from beetles may not always be transmitted to the chickens and that beetles living in contaminated houses can remain free of infection. All cases of campylobacter-positive beetle samples were detected in connection with a positive chicken flock; in no case was campylobacter isolated from beetles taken from the empty period between rotations. Four beetle species were identified during this study. Alphitobius diaperinus was found in all houses and was relatively abundant in most. Typhaea stercorea and Ahasverus advena were found in eight and nine houses, respectively, and were abundant in most of these. Carcinops pumilio was found in small numbers in eight houses. No other insect species was identified. These investigations have shown that beetles in broiler houses infrequently are positive for salmonella. However, transmission of S. indiana between two consecutive broiler flocks can coincide with the presence of salmonella-contaminated beetles in the empty period, indicating that the beetles were the reservoir of S. indiana between the two flocks. Concerning campylobacter, the results suggest that beetles do not play a significant role as a reservoir of campylobacter from one rotation to the next.

Critical role of multidrug efflux pump CmeABC in bile resistance and in vivo colonization of Campylobacter jejuni.

CmeABC functions as a multidrug efflux pump contributing to the resistance of Campylobacter to a broad range of antimicrobials. In this study, we examined the role of CmeABC in bile resistance and its contribution to the adaptation of Campylobacter jejuni in the intestinal tract of the chicken, a natural host and a major reservoir for Campylobacter. Inactivation of cmeABC drastically decreased the resistance of Campylobacter to various bile salts. Addition of choleate (2 mM) in culture medium impaired the in vitro growth of the cmeABC mutants but had no effect on the growth of the wild-type strain. Bile concentration varied in the duodenum, jejunum, and cecum of chicken intestine, and the inhibitory effect of the intestinal extracts on the in vitro growth of Campylobacter was well correlated with the total bile concentration in the individual sections of chicken intestine. When inoculated into chickens, the wild-type strain colonized the birds as early as day 2 postinoculation with a density as high as 10(7) CFU/g of feces. In contrast, the cmeABC mutants failed to colonize any of the inoculated chickens throughout the study. The minimum infective dose for the cmeABC mutant was at least 2.6 x 10(4)-fold higher than that of the wild-type strain. Complementation of the cmeABC mutants with a wild-type cmeABC allele in trans fully restored the in vitro growth in bile-containing media and the in vivo colonization to the levels of the wild-type strain. Immunoblotting analysis indicated that CmeABC is expressed and immunogenic in chickens experimentally infected with C. jejuni. Together, these findings provide compelling evidence that CmeABC, by mediating resistance to bile salts in the intestinal tract, is required for successful colonization of C. jejuni in chickens. Inhibition of CmeABC function may not only control antibiotic resistance but also prevent the in vivo colonization of pathogenic Campylobacter.

Flagellin A Gene Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Patterns of Campylobacter spp. Isolates from Broiler Production Sources

The purpose of this study was to determine the potential reservoirs for Campylobacter spp. that provide the initial sources involved with broiler chicken colonization during poultry production. We characterized the flagellin A gene (flaA) of the organism by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for 59 isolates of the bacterium provided during an epidemiological study. Isolates were obtained from three broiler production houses existing at separate locations. They were cultured and isolated from other (nonbroiler) domestic farm animals, wild birds, rodents, feed, farmers' boots, chicken feathers, and chicken intestinal materials. Eight distinctive flaA types were found in two of the houses. In one house, at least five flaA types (4, 6, 8, 15, and 21) were characterized from the poultry production environment, with three types isolated and identified from the chicken intestinal tract. flaA type 15 was found in flies, on boots, and in chicken intestinal samples. In another house, a distinctive diversity of flaA types existed (4, 7, 43, and 53). At least three flaA types found in samples from chicken intestinal tracts were also found in warm-blooded animals outside of the poultry house (domesticated animals, wild birds, and vermin).

Campylobacter Bacteria in Breeder Flocks

Nine Dutch breeder farms with a total of 43 separately housed flocks were examined for the presence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. Penner serotyping of Campylobacter isolates was used to identify epidemiological factors contributing to the Campylobacter infection of these breeder flocks. Campylobacter was isolated from 29 of the 43 flocks (67%), and Salmonella was isolated from 12 flocks (28%). Two of the nine farms were both Campylobacter- and Salmonella-free at the time of sampling. Two other farms were Salmonella-free but Campylobacter-positive. A total of 330 Campylobacter isolates were serotyped, and 19 different Campylobacter serotypes were isolated in this study. Some similarities were observed in the patterns of serotype occurrence in houses of a given farm. Campylobacter colonization of breeder flocks indicates a potential role of vertical transmission via the egg to progeny. However, serotyping results did not support a vertical transmission route via the egg. Therefore, breeder flocks have to be recognized as another reservoir of Campylobacter, and it is more appropriate to consider them a potential risk factor in horizontal transmission routes.

Isolation of Campylobacter and Yersinia spp. from Drinking Waters.

Recently it has become apparent that drinking water may be a reservoir for Campylobacter and Yersinia spp. and that transmission of infection occurs by the fecal-oral route. In order to assess Campylobacter and Yersinia spp. occurrence in drinking water, 500 samples were examined for the presence of these pathogens in parallel to coliforms-fecal indicator bacteria set by E. coli. Five strains of C. jejuni (1.0%) and 20 of Yersinia spp. (4.0%) were isolated. The occurrence of C. jejuni and Yersinia spp. was statistically higher (p <.001, p <.05 respectively), in the presence of coliform bacteria. The frequency of Yersinia spp. in chlorinated and nonchlorinated samples differed significantly (p <.05), whereas C. jejuni frequency did not (p >.05).

Prevalence of campylobacter in pigs during fattening; an epidemiological study

Numerous epidemiological reports implicate foods of animal origin as vehicles of human campylobacteriosis. Pigs are probably an important reservoir of campylobacter and a potential source of human infection. In order to improve our knowledge of the epidemiology of campylobacter in pigs, the prevalence of campylobacter and its contamination of feed were monitored in eight pig farms. Faeces samples of pigs aged 11 and 22 weeks, and samples of rectal, ileal and gastric content at a slaughterhouse were collected for bacteriological examination. On 5 farms, subsequent groups of pigs housed in the same stalls was sampled, too. A selection of the campylobacter isolates was characterized with a genetic typing method (RFLP). More than 85% of the sampled porkers were shown to be intestinal carriers of campylobacter at all stages of fattening. Subsequent groups of pigs housed in the same stalls were all carriers, too. The level of campylobacters in the faeces tended to decrease as the pigs got older. There was no difference in the frequency and level of infection with campylobacter between porkers on different farms. The feeding system (wet feed versus dry pellets) did not seem to influence the prevalence of campylobacter although wet feed gave lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae in the faeces. RFLP-typing showed a high diversity of campylobacter strains at each sampling on the farm. Similarities were seen between strains isolated during two subsequent samplings of the same group of pigs, but not between strains isolated on the same farm from subsequent groups of pigs housed in the same stall. This suggests that the piglets were already infected at a young age on the breeding farm.

Clinical Characteristics and Serotype Distribution of &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter jejuni&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter coli&lt;/i&gt; Isolated from Diarrhoeic Patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Cape Town, South Africa

Clinical characteristics and serotype distribution of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from paediatric diarrhoeic patients over a three-year period in two geographically diverse areas, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Cape Town, South Africa, were compared. Both Dhaka and Cape Town patients had similar rates of diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. However, the Dhaka patients were younger (11.8 vs. 13.0 months), had more boys than girls infected (male/female ratio 1.78:1 vs. 1.25:1), had more predisposing conditions (26% vs. 15%) and had more additional stool pathogens co-isolated with C. jejuni/coli than the Cape Town patients. While some C. jejuni serotypes were common to both areas, i.e., O:4, other serotypes were present in one location, but not the other. Differences in clinical presentations and serotype distribution in Dhaka and Cape Town are suggestive of different reservoirs for Campylobacter, and different patterns of infection.Keywords: Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Serotyping, DiarrhoeaDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjm.v23i2.875 Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 23, Number 2, December 2006, pp 121-124

Primeiro relato de Salmonella enterica e Campylobacter spp. isolados de Garibaldi (Chrysomus ruficapillus) e Canário-da-terra (Sicalis flaveola) silvestres

Some species of wild birds have been identified as reservoirs of Campylobacter e Salmonella, they may exert as disseminators of these microorganisms. However, in Brazil, there is no study on the role of wild birds in the transmission of these two pathogens. This study aimed at searching the occurrence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in wild birds that feed in the rice paddies. By using mist nets 23 garibaldis (Chrysomus ruficapillus), one rolinha-picuí (Columbina picui) and one canário-da-terra (Sicalis flaveola) were captured. The birds stool samples were collected using swabs, and they were processed for searching Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella enterica. Eight (32 %) fecal samples collected from C. ruficapillus were Campylobacter-positive and six (24 %) were positive to Salmonella enterica; five (20 %) samples collected from C. ruficapillus and one (4%) from S. flaveola were positive to Salmonella enterica. The two birds C. ruficapillus and S. flaveola showed to be reservoirs of Campylobacter and Salmonella, and they can be potential transmitters of these pathogens. This study is the first report on the isolation of Campylobacter and Salmonella from wild birds C. ruficapillus and S. flaveola.