title: Molecular-based detection of non-culturable and emerging campylobacteria in patients presenting with gastroenteritis.
abstract: From January 2009 to May 2010, 436 faecal samples from patients with diarrhoeal illness in Southern Ireland were identified as Campylobacter genus-positive by an automated multiplex PCR; however, 204 (46·8%) of these samples were culture-negative for campylobacters. A combination of Campylobacter-specific uniplex PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed the presence of Campylobacter DNA in 191 (93·6%) of the culture-negative samples. Species-specific PCR identified C. jejuni (50·7%) C. ureolyticus (41%) and C. coli (5·7%) as the most prevalent species while C. fetus, C. upsaliensis, C. hyointestinalis and C. lari accounted for 10% of culture-negative samples; mixed Campylobacter spp. were detected in 11% of samples. We conclude that non-culturable Campylobacter spp. are responsible for a considerable proportion of human enteritis and the true incidence of infection is likely to be significantly underestimated where conventional Campylobacter culture methods are used in isolation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bullman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Sleator
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lucey
mesh_terms: D002167:Campylobacter / Q000235:genetics*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000235:genetics; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction