Comparison of Campylobacter jejuni genotypes from dairy cattle and human sources from the Matamata-Piako District of New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence and types of Campylobacter jejuni carried by dairy cattle and the extent of overlap of these types with those causing disease in humans.


RESULTS
Faecal samples from 410 dairy cattle were collected from 36 farms in the Matamata-Piako district in New Zealand. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated on all 36 farms, with a prevalence of 51% (95% CI 45-57) in dairy cattle and 65% (95% CI 58-72) in calves. Eighty-nine of these isolates were typed using Penner serotyping and pulsed field gel electrophoresis and were compared with 58 human C. jejuni isolates from people resident within this study area.


CONCLUSIONS
Campylobacter jejuni were found in the faeces of over half of the dairy cows and calves examined. Twenty-one per cent of the bovine isolates and 43% of the human isolates formed indistinguishable clusters of at least one bovine and one human isolate.


CONCLUSIONS
While a direct link between bovine isolates and human cases was not demonstrated, the finding of indistinguishable genotypes among C. jejuni isolates from bovine and human sources confirms that dairy cows and calves are a potential source of human campylobacteriosis. Barriers to separate bovine faecal material from the general public are therefore important public health measures.
Gilpin
B J
BJ
ESR Ltd., Christchurch Science Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand. brent.gilpin@esr.cri.nz
Thorrold
B
B
Scholes
P
P
Longhurst
R D
RD
Devane
M
M
Nicol
C
C
Walker
S
S
Robson
B
B
Savill
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000662:veterinary; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012703:Serotyping