Abstract
Four different studies were conducted in order to re-evaluate conventional methods and assess the efficacy of new selective agars and a filtration method for the isolation of campylobacters. Skirrow's medium, Preston agar, modified CCD agar and Fennell's medium, incubated microaerobically at 37 °C for 48 h, gave similarCampylobacter isolation rates from 225 faecal samples, but the latter two media were more selective. Evaluation of modified CCD agar demonstrated that campylobacters could be isolated from that medium more successfully after incubation at 37 °C (173/177 positive samples) than at 42 °C (152/177 positive samples). In a larger study 1286 faecal specimens were cultured using modified CCD agar, Fennell's medium and a 0.45 µm membrane filtration technique, all incubated at 37 °C. Campylobacters were isolated from 89 % (178), 86 % (171) and 60 % (130) of 199 positive samples respectively. Modified CCD agar was most successful in isolation of the majority of campylobacters, but Fennell's medium was essential for recovery of „Campylobacter cinaedi“ and“Campylobacter fennelliae”, whereas the 0.45 µm membrane technique was the only method to isolate all of the catalase-negative campylobacter strains. Further evaluation of the 0.45 µm and 0.65 µm pore size membranes showed that more strains ofCampylobacter jejuni andCampylobacter coli were isolated using the larger pore size membranes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Skirrow, M. B. Campylobacter enteritis: a “new” disease. British Medical Journal 1977, ii: 9–11.
Skirrow, M. B., Benjamin, J. ‘1001’ Campylobacters: cultural characteristics of intestinal campylobacters from man and animals. Journal of Hygiene 1980, 85: 427–442.
Fennell, C. L., Totten, P. A., Quinn, T. C., Patton, D. L., Holmes, K. K., Stamm, W. E. Characterization ofCampylobacter-like organisms isolated from homosexual men. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1984, 149: 58–66.
Totten, P. A., Fennell, C. L., Tenover, F. C., Wezenberg, J. M., Perine, P. L., Stamm, W. E., Holmes, K. K. “Campylobacter cinaedi” (sp. nov.)‘Campylobacter fennelliae’ (sp. nov.): Two newCampylobacter species associated with enteric disease in homosexual men. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1985, 151: 131–139.
Pasternack, J., Bolivar, R., Hopfer, R. L., Fainstein, V., Mills, K., Rios, A., Bodey, G. P., Fennell, C. L., Totten, P. A., Stamm, W. E. Bacteraemia caused byCampylobacter-like organisms in two male homosexuals. Annals of Internal Medicine 1984, 101: 339–341.
Cimolai, N., Gill, M. J., Jones, A., Flores, B., Stamm, W. E., Laurie, W., Madden, B., Shahrabadi, M. S. “Campylobacter cinaedi” bacteremia: Case report and laboratory findings. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1987, 25: 942–943.
Sandstedt, K., Ursing, J., Walder, M. ThermotolerantCampylobacter with no or weak catalase activity isolated from dogs. Current Microbiology 1983, 8: 209–213.
Steele, T. W., McDermott, S. N. Technical note: The use of membrane filters applied directly to the surface of agar plates for the isolation ofCampylobacter jejuni from faeces. Pathology 1984, 16: 263–265.
Gebhart, C. J., Ward, G. E., Chang, K., Kurtz, H. J. Campylobacter hyointestinalis (new species) isolated from swine with lesions of proliferative ileitis. American Journal of Veterinary Research 1983, 44: 361–367.
Ursing, J. K., Sandstedt, K., Hansson, E. Genetic and phenotypic characteristics of a new group ofCampylobacter isolated from pigs and cattle. Acta Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology Scandinavia (B) 1984, 92: 71–72.
Edmunds, P., Patton, C. M., Griffin, P. M., Barrett, T. J., Schmid, G. P., Baker, C. N., Lambert, M. A., Brenner, D. J. Campylobacter hyointestinalis associated with human gastrointestinal disease in the United States. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1987, 25: 685–691.
Bolton, F. J., Robertson, L. A selective medium for isolatingCampylobacter jejuni / coli. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1982, 35: 462–467.
Hutchinson, D. N., Bolton, F. J. An improved blood free selective medium for the isolation ofCampylobacter jejuni from faecal specimens. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1984, 37: 956–957.
Bolton, F. J., Holt, A. V., Hutchinson, D. N. Campylobacter biotyping scheme of epidemiology value. Journal of Clinical Pathology 1984, 37: 677–681.
Lior, H. New, extended biotyping scheme forCampylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and“Campylobacter laridis” 1984. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1984, 20: 636–640.
Bolton, F. J., Hutchinson, D. N., Parker, G. Isolation ofCampylobacter: what are we missing? Journal of Clinical Pathology 1987, 40: 702–703.
Megraud, F., Bonnet, F. Unusual campylobacters in human faeces. Journal of Infection 1986, 12: 275–276.
Steele, T. W., Sangster, N., Lanser, J. A. DNA relatedness and biochemical features ofCampylobacter spp. isolated in central and south Australia. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1985, 22: 71–74.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bolton, F.J., Hutchinson, D.N. & Parker, G. Reassessment of selective agars and filtration techniques for isolation ofCampylobacter species from faeces. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 7, 155–160 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963069
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963069