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Correct identification and discrimination between Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli by a standardized hippurate test and species-specific polymerase chain reaction

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases volume 27, pages 513–518 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Hippurate hydrolysis test results of 240 Campylobacter strains were compared with those of two multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Of the 152 strains identified in Finnish clinical microbiology routine laboratories as C. coli (hippurate-negative), 11% were C. jejuni (hippurate-positive) by standardized hippurate test and 39% by PCR in the reference laboratory. Two of the 81 hippurate-positive strains were identified as C. coli. Standardizing the hippurate test by determining minimum and maximum turbidity limits (McFarland 6 and McFarland 10, OD450 values 0.8 and 1.4, respectively) for the bacterial cell suspension eliminated the false-positive results, but 32% of the 145 hippurate-negative strains were still identified as C. jejuni by PCR. The species identification of Campylobacter isolates in Finland could be improved by using a standardized hippurate hydrolysis test to identify hippurate-positive C. jejuni and testing hippurate-negative strains by molecular methods. This would also improve the epidemiological data on this important zoonotic pathogen.

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Acknowledgments

Part of this data was presented at the 16th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 1–4 April 2006, Nice, France. The postgraduate studies of Ulla-Maija Nakari were funded by the Finnish Graduate School on Applied Bioscience: Bioengineering, Food & Nutrition, Environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Enteric Bacteria Laboratory, National Public Health Institute (KTL), Mannerheimintie 166, 00300, Helsinki, Finland

    U.-M. Nakari, A. Puhakka & A. Siitonen

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  1. U.-M. Nakari
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  2. A. Puhakka
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  3. A. Siitonen
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Correspondence to A. Siitonen.

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Nakari, UM., Puhakka, A. & Siitonen, A. Correct identification and discrimination between Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli by a standardized hippurate test and species-specific polymerase chain reaction. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 27, 513–518 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0467-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-008-0467-9

Keywords

  • Hippurate
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction Method
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction Result
  • Fetus Subsp
  • Patient Strain