Prevalence of Campylobacter , Arcobacter , Helicobacter , and Sutterella spp. in Human Fecal Samples as Estimated by a Reevaluation of Isolation Methods for Campylobacters

• Published in: Journal of clinical microbiology Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 286 - 291
• Main Authors: Engberg, Jørgen, On, Stephen L. W., Harrington, Clare S., Gerner-Smidt, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.01.2000
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Arcobacter; Arcobacter - isolation & purification; Arcobacter butzleri; Arcobacter cryaerophilus; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; Campylobacter coli; Campylobacter coli - isolation & purification; Campylobacter concisus; Campylobacter curvus; Campylobacter Infections - epidemiology; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter jejuni - isolation & purification; Cefoperazone - pharmacology; Child; Child, Preschool; Culture Media; Denmark; Denmark - epidemiology; Deoxycholic Acid - pharmacology; Epidemiology; Epsilonproteobacteria - isolation & purification; Feces - microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Negative Bacteria - isolation & purification; Helicobacter; Helicobacter - isolation & purification; Helicobacter cinaedi; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Sutterella; Sutterella wadsworthensis; Denmark; Scandinavia; Europe; Human; Culture medium; Selective medium; Prevalence; Spirillales; Healthy subject; Helicobacter; Campylobacteraceae; Spirillaceae; Diarrhea; Epidemiology; Infection; Bacteriosis; Microorganism culture; Digestive diseases; Bacteria; Intestinal disease; Isolation; Campylobacter
• ISSN: 0095-1137; 1098-660X
• DOI: 10.1128/JCM.38.1.286-291.2000

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of campylobacteria including Campylobacter jejuni subsp. jejuni ( C. jejuni ) and Campylobacter coli in human clinical samples and in samples from healthy individuals and to reevaluate the efficacies of conventional selective methods for isolation of Campylobacter spp. Two charcoal-based selective media, modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) and cefoperazone-amphotericin-teicoplanin (CAT) agar, were compared with Skirrow's blood-based medium and with a filter method (filter) applied to a yeast-enriched blood agar. A total of 1,376 specimens were tested on all four media, and the percentages of thermophilic Campylobacter -positive specimens isolated on Skirrow's medium, filters, CAT agar, and mCCDA were 82, 83, 85, and 95%, respectively. When additional samples were processed with the three selective media, mCCDA recovered significantly more thermophilic Campylobacter spp. than Skirrow's medium ( P = 0.0034). No significant difference between Skirrow's medium and CAT agar was observed in this study. Another six taxa were identified, namely, Campylobacter concisus , Campylobacter curvus -like bacteria, Arcobacter butzleri , Arcobacter cryaerophilus , Helicobacter cinaedi , and Sutterella wadsworthensis . Most of these strains were isolated after 5 to 6 days of incubation by use of the filter technique. This paper provides evidence for the existence of S. wadsworthensis in human feces from clinical cases of gastrointestinal disorders and in feces from a healthy individual. Furthermore, C. concisus was isolated from a large number of diarrheal cases, particularly those at the extremes of age, but was additionally isolated from the feces of healthy people. Further investigations to establish the role of C. concisus and S. wadsworthensis in enteric disease is needed. We conclude that a range of campylobacteria may cause infections in Denmark.