title: Molecular detection of Campylobacter spp. in California gull (Larus californicus) excreta.
abstract: We examined the prevalence, quantity, and diversity of Campylobacter species in the excreta of 159 California gull (Larus californicus) samples using culture-, PCR-, and quantitative PCR (qPCR)-based detection assays. Campylobacter prevalence and abundance were relatively high in the gull excreta examined; however, C. jejuni and C. lari were detected in fewer than 2% of the isolates and DNA extracts from the fecal samples that tested positive. Moreover, molecular and sequencing data indicated that most L. californicus campylobacters were novel (<97% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to known Campylobacter species) and not closely related to species commonly associated with human illness. Campylobacter estimates were positively related with those of fecal indicators, including a gull fecal marker based on the Catellicoccus marimammalium 16S rRNA gene.
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA. lu.jingrang@epa.gov
authors.forename: Jingrang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hodon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Jorge W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Santo Domingo
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ashbolt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D044822:Biodiversity; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000382:microbiology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D056569:Enterococcaceae / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S