title: Campylobacter jejuni infection and virulence-associated genes in children with moderate to severe diarrhoea admitted to emergency rooms in northeastern Brazil.
abstract: Campylobacter is an important cause of foodborne gastroenteritis. We determined the occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, using culture-based methods and PCRs targeting virulence-associated genes (VAGs) among children aged ≤14 years who were treated for diarrhoea at emergency rooms in northeastern Brazil. Genomic DNA was extracted directly from stool samples collected from 366 children. A questionnaire was also applied to qualify the clinical conditions presented by each child at the time of admission. C. jejuni and C. coli were detected in 16.4 % (60/366) and 1.4 % (5/366) of the diarrhoeal samples, respectively, by PCR, a much higher proportion than that detected by conventional methods. C. jejuni VAGs were detected in the following proportions of hipO-positive samples: ciaB, 95 % (57/60); dnaJ, 86.7 % (52/60); racR, 98.3 % (59/60); flaA, 80 % (48/60); pldA, 45 % (27/60); cdtABC, 95 % (57/60); and pVir 0 % (0/60). Particular symptoms, such as blood in faeces, vomiting, fever, and/or abdominal pain, were not associated with detection of C. jejuni nor were they associated with any particular VAG or combination of VAGs (P>0.05). C. jejuni and its VAGs were detected in a substantial proportion of the children admitted. Further efforts shall be directed towards elucidating whether these genetic factors or their expressed proteins play a role in Campylobacter pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josiane da S
authors.initials: JDS
authors.lastname: Quetz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ila F N
authors.initials: IFN
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Havt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mara M G
authors.initials: MMG
authors.lastname: Prata
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paloma A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro H Q S
authors.initials: PHQS
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: David A C
authors.initials: DAC
authors.lastname: Cid
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Milena L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Science Center/Unit of Statistics, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60455-760, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosa M S
authors.initials: RMS
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.affiliation: Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), Seattle, Washington, WA 98107, USA.
authors.forename: Bernhard H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Weigl
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Guerrant
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine for Brazilian Semi-Arid/Clinical Research Unit, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 60430-270, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aldo A M
authors.initials: AAM
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins