title: Genetic Characterization of Campylobacter Jejuni and C. coli Isolated From Broilers Using flaA PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Method in Shiraz, Southern Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thermophilic campylobacters, particularly Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli are the main agents of human campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter contaminated chicken products is the most important source of foodborne gastroenteritis. Evaluation of genetic diversity among Campylobacter population is critical for understanding the epidemiology of this bacterium and developing effective control strategies against Campylobacter infections and other related disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism of thermophilic Campylobacter isolated from broiler fecal samples in Shiraz, southern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety Campylobacter isolates were recovered from broiler feces using enrichment process followed by cultivation method. The isolates were species typing on the basis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of 16SrRNA and multiplex PCR for determining two thermophilic species. To evaluate strain diversity of thermophilic Campylobacter isolates, flaA PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) was performed using DdeI restriction enzyme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 90 Campylobacter isolates confirmed by m-PCR were successfully typed using flaA-PCR-RFLP. Eleven different types were defined according to flaA-typing method and the RFLP patterns were located at three separate clusters in RFLP image analysis dendrogram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Campylobacter jejuni isolates significantly showed more variety than C. coli isolates. A relatively low genetic diversity existed among C. jejuni and C. coli isolated from broilers in Shiraz, southern Iran. In our knowledge, this was the first report of genetic diversity among broiler originated human pathogen thermophilic campylobacters in Shiraz, southern Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Rahem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khoshbakht
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabatabaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hosseinzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hesamaddin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirzad Aski
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seifi
keywords: C. coli; Campylobacter Jejuni; Iran; Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism