Virulence properties of Campylobacter jejuni isolates of poultry and human origin.
Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of food-borne gastroenteritis. Because of the high prevalence of C. jejuni in poultry, poultry meat is considered a major source of C. jejuni infections for humans. However, it is not known whether all poultry-associated C. jejuni strains are capable of causing disease in humans. Four different virulence properties of C. jejuni strains were compared between 20 poultry isolates and 24 human isolates. Strains were chosen based on their PFGE pattern to represent a heterogeneous population. The isolates were compared for their ability to invade and induce interleukin-8 (IL-8) production in T84 cells, their production of functional cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) using HEp-2 cells, and their sodium deoxycholate resistance. All four virulence factors were present among strains of human and poultry origin, with strong differences observed among strains. For invasion and IL-8 induction, no difference was observed between the two populations. However, on average, human isolates arrested more HEp-2 cells in their cell cycle than did the poultry isolates (P=0.041), suggesting higher CDT production by the former. The ability to survive 16 000 mug sodium deoxycholate ml(-1) was significantly more pronounced (P=0.006) among human isolates than poultry isolates, although all strains possessed the cmeABC operon. These data suggest that all four virulence properties are widespread among C. jejuni isolates, but that a higher degree of bile-salt resistance and more pronounced CDT production are associated with strains causing enteritis in humans.
Van Deun
Kim
K
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Haesebrouck
Freddy
F
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Heyndrickx
Marc
M
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
Favoreel
Herman
H
Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Dewulf
Jeroen
J
Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Ceelen
Liesbeth
L
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Dumez
Linn
L
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Messens
Winy
W
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
Leleu
Saskia
S
Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Technology and Food Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
Van Immerseel
Filip
F
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Ducatelle
Richard
R
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Pasmans
Frank
F
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002645:Chickens; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009876:Operon; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D016209:Interleukin-8; C067044:cytolethal distending toxin; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid