title: Detection of CDT toxin genes in Campylobacter spp. strains isolated from broiler carcasses and vegetables in São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: Campylobacteriosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis. One of the main virulence factors related to Campylobacter spp. in animals and humans is the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), encoded by three adjacent genes (cdtA, cdtB, cdtC). The occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in samples of vegetables has not been reported in Brazil yet, and has seldom been described in the international literature. The detection of CDT in these strains has not been reported, either. The objectives of the present study were to determine the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. strains carrying virulence factors in samples of poultry and vegetables (lettuce and spinach) from different points of sale, thus verifying if vegetables are as an important vehicle for potentially virulent Campylobacter spp. strains as poultry. Twenty four strains were identified as Campylobacter jejuni by phenotypic and genotypic methods: 22 from broiler carcasses and two from lettuce samples. Three strains were identified as Campylobacter coli: two from broiler carcasses and one from lettuce. The presence of the cdt genes were detected in 20/24 (83.3%) C. jejuni strains, and 3/3 (100%) C. coli strains. The isolation of Campylobacter spp. strains with the cdt gene cluster in lettuce samples points to a new possible source of contamination, which could have an impact in the vegetable production chain and risk to public health. Results show that potentially virulent C. jejuni and C. coli strains remain viable in samples of broiler carcasses and vegetables at the points of sale.
authors: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Aline Feola
authors: AF
authors: de Carvalho
authors: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Daniela Martins
authors: DM
authors: da Silva
authors: Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors: Sergio Santos
authors: SS
authors: Azevedo
authors: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Rosa Maria
authors: RM
authors: Piatti
authors: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Margareth Elide
authors: ME
authors: Genovez
authors: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Eliana
authors: E
authors: Scarcelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D018545:Lactuca / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018724:Spinacia oleracea / Q000382:microbiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C067044:cytolethal distending toxin
keywords: Campylobacter spp.; Multiplex-PCR; broiler carcasses; cytolethal distending toxin (CDT); vegetables