title: Campylobacter hepaticus sp. nov., isolated from chickens with spotty liver disease.
abstract: Ten strains of an unknown Campylobacter species were isolated from the livers of chickens with spotty liver disease in Australia. The strains were Gram-stain-negative, microaerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive and urease-negative. Unlike most other species of the genus Campylobacter, most of the tested strains of this novel species hydrolysed hippurate and half of them could not reduce nitrate. All strains showed resistance, or intermediate resistance, to nalidixic acid and most of them were resistant to cephalothin. Examination of negatively stained cells under transmission electron microscopy revealed that they were S-shaped, with bipolar unsheathed flagella. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene and the heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) gene sequences indicated that the strains formed a robust clade that was clearly distinct from recognized Campylobacter species. Unusually, they had a DNA G+C content of 27.9 mol%, lower than any previously described Campylobacter species, and they showed less than 84 % average nucleotide identity to the nearest sequenced species. Taken together, these data indicate that the strains belong to a novel Campylobacter species, for which the name Campylobacter hepaticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HV10T (=NCTC 13823T=CIP 111092T).
authors: School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
authors: Thi Thu Hao
authors: TTH
authors: Van
authors: School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
authors: Eltaher
authors: E
authors: Elshagmani
authors: School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
authors: Mian Chee
authors: MC
authors: Gor
authors: Scolexia Pty Ltd, Moonee Ponds, Victoria 3039, Australia.|Poultry Cooperative Research Centre, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.
authors: Peter C
authors: PC
authors: Scott
authors: Poultry Cooperative Research Centre, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia.|School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001482:Base Composition; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S