Isolation of thermotolerant campylobacters and C. hyointestinalis from rectal swabs of healthy pigs

Abstract

Thermotolerant campylobacters are the most common bacterial etiological agents of human infectious gastroenteritis worldwide. The most frequent isolated species among them are Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli, and less frequent C. upsaliensis and C. lari. Also C. hyointestinalis, that not belong to the group of thermotolerant campylobacters, has been indicate as an agent of human infectious gastroenteritis. Natural reservoir of all named campylobacters is the intestinal tract of many mammals and birds, including domestic animals. In these animals, campylobacters are commonly present as commensals and their feces is considered as a prime source for environmental contamination. Unlike the human feces which is usually examined in the cases of diarrhea, thermotolerant campylobacters and C. hyointestinalis in the animal feces are generally present in a much lesser amount and the isolation very often could be unsuccessful. The aim of this study was to estimate the validity of applied procedure for isolation (and identification) of thermotolerant campylobacters and C. hyointestinalis from pig rectal swabs, as a procedure for detection of healthy animal carriers.

Keywords

• thermotolerant campylobacters
• Campylobacter hyointestinalis
• isolation
• identification