title: Emerging dynamics of human campylobacteriosis in Southern Ireland.
abstract: Infections with Campylobacter spp. pose a significant health burden worldwide. The significance of Campylobacter jejuni/Campylobacter coli infection is well appreciated but the contribution of non-C. jejuni/C. coli spp. to human gastroenteritis is largely unknown. In this study, we employed a two-tiered molecular study on 7194 patient faecal samples received by the Microbiology Department in Cork University Hospital during 2009. The first step, using EntericBio(®) (Serosep), a multiplex PCR system, detected Campylobacter to the genus level. The second step, utilizing Campylobacter species-specific PCR identified to the species level. A total of 340 samples were confirmed as Campylobacter genus positive, 329 of which were identified to species level with 33 samples containing mixed Campylobacter infections. Campylobacter jejuni, present in 72.4% of samples, was the most common species detected, however, 27.4% of patient samples contained non-C. jejuni/C. coli spp.; Campylobacter fetus (2.4%), Campylobacter upsaliensis (1.2%), Campylobacter hyointestinalis (1.5%), Campylobacter lari (0.6%) and an emerging species, Campylobacter ureolyticus (24.4%). We report a prominent seasonal distribution for campylobacteriosis (Spring), with C. ureolyticus (March) preceeding slightly C. jejuni/C. coli (April/May).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bullman
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: Derry
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Hare
authors.forename: Brigid
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lucey
authors.forename: Roy D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Sleator
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult