Campylobacter

J Appl Microbiol, 2004, 96(4), 795 - 802
Genetic relatedness among Campylobacter jejuni serotyped isolates of diverse origin as determined by numerical analysis of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) profiles; Siemer BL et al.; AIMS: To use amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis to evaluate the genetic relatedness among 254 Campylobacter jejuni reference and field strains of diverse origin representing all defined 'Penner' serotypes for this species . METHODS AND RESULTS: Field strains (n = 207) from human diarrhoea and diverse animal and environmental sources were collected mainly through a National surveillance programme in Denmark and serotyped by use of the established 'Penner' scheme . Genetic relationships among these isolates, and the archetypal serotype reference strains, were assessed by numerical analysis of AFLP profiles derived from genomic DNA . Extensive genetic diversity was seen among the strains examined; however, 43 groups of isolates were identified at the 92% similarity (S-) level . Thirteen groups contained isolates from a single host, possibly representing genotypes of 'low risk' to human health . The remaining 30 groups contained isolates from humans, chickens and associated food products, cattle, sheep, turkeys, ostriches and/or dogs . Strains assigned to serotypes 2, 6/7, 11 and 12 formed major clusters at the 77.6% S-level . Most other serotypes did not form homogeneous clusters . CONCLUSIONS: High-resolution genotyping applied to strains from a comprehensive range of sources provides evidence for multiple sources of sporadic C . jejuni infection . The results suggest that public health protection measures should be directed at all foods of animal origin . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The genetic relatedness among all 'Penner' serotypes of C . jejuni is assessed by AFLP analysis . In addition, further evidence of epidemic and host-specific clones of C . jejuni is provided.

J Appl Microbiol, 2004, 96(4), 664 - 70
Enhanced recovery and isolation of Campylobacter spp . from water using a novel device; Baserisalehi M et al.; AIM: To design a special device which can be used with nonselective blood-free nutrient agar without enrichment for detection of campylobacters from water . METHODS AND RESULTS: The Kapadnis-Baseri device (KB device) was designed and evaluated in comparison with the conventional method (C method) for detection of Campylobacter spp . from river water samples . The results indicated that the recovery of Campylobacter spp . by KB device was relatively more than by C method . CONCLUSIONS: To date, the methods for recovery of campylobacters are time consuming and involve use of special culture media, which is cost ineffective . The KB device is designed based on two important characters of Campylobacter, viz . motility and activity at low temperature . With this device we isolated Campylobacter spp . from river water on nonselective media without enrichment . Thus this device is as effective as the use of antibiotic media for the isolation of campylobacters . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The KB device will be useful for isolation of Campylobacter spp . from water and other environmental samples, which is less time consuming and inexpensive . Besides, this device allows isolation of antibiotic sensitive campylobacters.

Neurology, 2004 Mar 9, 62(5), 825 - 7
Acute facial diplegia and hyperreflexia: A Guillain-Barré syndrome variant; Susuki K et al.; Two patients with acute facial diplegia and hyperreflexia are described . Both patients had serologic evidence of preceding Campylobacter jejuni infection and antiganglioside IgG antibodies as well as other laboratory and electrophysiologic findings suggesting Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) . IV immunoglobulin produced recovery . Hyperreflexia does not necessarily exclude the diagnosis of a GBS variant . Antiganglioside antibodies can help with diagnosis in difficult cases.

Rev Sci Tech, 2003 Dec, 22(3), 1013 - 20
{Campylobacteriosis in a low-income community in Buenos Aires, Argentina}; Lopez C et al.; The authors describe the problem of campylobacteriosis in a low-income community located in southern Buenos Aires . Homes in the area were classified according to their total number of inhabitants, the number of children and animals living in the house and the amount of poultry meat consumed . Samples were taken from all the different types of homes that had been identified in order to isolate, identify and type Campylobacter sp., using the modified Skirrow technique, bio-chemical tests and the Lior technique respectively . The prevalences found were 16.96% in dogs, 20% in cats and 40% in poultry . The pathogens isolated were Campylobacter jejuni type II in 94.44% of the cases and Campylobacter upsaliensis in 5.55% of the cases . In poultry meat, 92.85% of the samples were positive (23.07% for type I and 76.92% for type II) . The incidence of diarrhoea in children caused by C . jejuni was 0.4/1000 children/month (type I in all cases) . A high prevalence of C . jejuni type II was detected in pets and in poultry meat . The source of infection in children may have been poultry meat.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Mar, 42(3), 1363 - 4
Occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni in pets living with human patients infected with C . jejuni; Damborg P et al.; Campylobacter jejuni was recovered from four dogs (11%) and four cats (33%) living with Danish human patients infected with C . jejuni . Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis revealed the occurrence of the same quinolone-resistant strain in a girl and her dog . C . jejuni isolates with closely related (>95% similarity) PFGE profiles occurred in humans and pets from different Danish counties.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Mar, 42(3), 1313 - 5
Correlation between detection rates of periodontopathic bacterial DNA in carotid coronary stenotic artery plaque and in dental plaque samples; Ishihara K et al.; Utilizing PCR, the 16S rRNA detection rates for Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacteroides forsythus, Treponema denticola, and Campylobacter rectus in samples of stenotic coronary artery plaques were determined to be 21.6, 23.3, 5.9, 23.5, and 15.7%, respectively . The detection rates for P . gingivalis and C . rectus correlated with their presence in subgingival plaque.

Plasmid, 2004 Mar, 51(2), 101 - 7
Construction of replicative and integrative plasmids for setting up the in vivo expression technology in Helicobacter pylori; Angelini F et al.; Some pathogenic factors of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium involved in peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, have already been identified using either global or particular approach, but there are still some orphan genes and unidentified pathogenic factors . One of the methods used successfully for the identification of virulence genes of many pathogens is the in vivo expression technology . We describe here the construction and sequences of three different plasmids, one integrative and two replicatives, for the identification of virulence genes by using in vivo expression technology in H . pylori, and of potential use in other bacteria such as Campylobacter spp . Moreover, the use of the green fluorescent protein could allow to classify the genes according to the strength of their expression and to identify those which are repressed upon interaction with gastric mucosa.

J Infect, 2004 Apr, 48(3), 236 - 44
Induction of alpha and beta chemokines by intestinal epithelial cells stimulated with Campylobacter jejuni; Bakhiet M et al.; OBJECTIVES: To investigate the production of dynamic alpha and beta chemokines represented by interleukin-8 (IL-8) as alpha chemokine and CCL2 (monocyte-chemoattractant protein-1, CCR2 ligand), CCL4 (macrophage-inflammatory protein-1beta, CCR5 ligand), CCL3 (macrophage-inflammatory protein-1alpha, CCR1/5 ligand), (CCL5, regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES, CCR5 ligand) as beta chemokines by the human intestinal cell line INT407 stimulated with factors produced by living Campylobacter jejuni (C . jejuni) and those present within sonicated and filtrated bacteria . METHODS: We used immunohistochemical technique modified to detect intracellular production of cytokines protein and RT-PCR to read RNA messages for evaluation of de novo cytokine synthesis . RESULTS: Living bacteria induced increased numbers of IL-8, CCL4 and CCL2 but not CCL3 or CCL5 producing cells . Low numbers of IL-8, CCL4 and CCL2 producing cells were detected with filtrated supernatant compared to living and sonicated bacteria . A non-significant low number of chemokine producing cells was noted when comparing numbers of chemokine producing cells stimulated with living C . jejuni to those stimulated with sonicated bacteria, indicating that the triggering factors involved in stimulation with living bacteria were still active after sonication, but they were largely lost upon filtration . The mRNA signals for IL-8 were noted in conformity with its protein levels as increased IL-8 mRNA signals were registered after stimulation with living and sonicated bacteria but not with filtrated supernatant . CONCLUSIONS: Preferential production of chemokines probably induced by membrane associate factors of C . jejuni acting on intestinal epithelial cells is presented . These chemokines are suggested to be part of an inflammatory network affecting cell types that contribute to initiation and/or resolution of the infection.

Microb Drug Resist, 2003 Winter, 9(4), 373 - 9
Public health consequences of use of antimicrobial agents in food animals in the United States; Anderson AD et al.; The use of antimicrobial agents in food animals has caused concern regarding the impact these uses have on human health . Use of antimicrobial agents in animals and humans results in the emergence and dissemination of resistant bacteria . Resistant bacteria from food animals may be passed through the food chain to humans resulting in resistant infections . Increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents that are important in the treatment of human diseases, such as fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins for the treatment of Salmonella and Campylobacter infections, has significant public health implications . Efforts to mitigate the effects of increasing resistance require collaboration by several partners, including the farming, veterinary, medical, and public health communities.

J Rheumatol, 2004 Mar, 31(3), 528 - 30
Reactive arthritis following an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infection; Hannu T et al.; OBJECTIVE: To study the occurrence and the clinical picture of musculoskeletal (MSK) complications including reactive arthritis (ReA) following an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni . METHODS: An outbreak of C . jejuni infection occurred in 2000 in Asikkala, Finland, during which 350 exposed subjects contacted the Municipal Health Centre (MHC) . All primary care physicians in the MHC were advised to refer patients with acute MSK complications to the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital (RFH) for a specialist clinical examination, which was performed <or= 3 months after the onset of the outbreak . RESULTS: Fifteen subjects with acute MSK complaints (11 women, 4 men; mean age 58 yrs) were examined in the RFH, where the following MSK diagnoses were assessed: ReA (9 patients), reactive arthralgia (2) . exacerbation of previous rheumatoid arthritis (3) . and previous fibromyalgia (1) . In the patients with ReA, all adults, the arthritis was oligoarticular in 6 patients and polyarticular in 3; one patient had monoarthritis . The most frequently affected joints were knees and ankles . Besides peripheral arthritis, one patient had clinical sacroiliitis . Of the ReA patients, the antigen HLA-B27 was positive in 33%, including the patient with sacroiliitis . At the clinical examination, 6 ReA patients had subsiding signs of synovitis, 2 had only arthralgia, and one was symptom-free . CONCLUSION: The frequency of ReA following an outbreak of C . jejuni was low: 2.6% (9 of 350) . In the ReA patients, the clinical picture was mild, the primary outcome good, and the association with HLA-B27 not high.

Microbiology, 2004 Mar, 150(Pt 3), 561 - 9
Campylobacter jejuni infection of differentiated THP-1 macrophages results in interleukin 1 beta release and caspase-1-independent apoptosis; Siegesmund AM et al.; Apoptosis induction of host macrophages has emerged as a common virulence mechanism among bacterial pathogens . Infection with Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and is characterized by an acute inflammatory response in the small intestine . The authors used the human monocytic cell line THP-1 to examine apoptosis induction and pro-inflammatory cytokine production during C . jejuni infection . Flow cytometric analysis revealed that 48 h after inoculation, a C . jejuni wild-type isolate induced apoptosis in 63 % of THP-1 cells while only 34 % of cells inoculated with a ciaB mutant, which does not secrete the Cia (Campylobacter invasion antigens) proteins, underwent apoptosis . Complementation of the ciaB mutant resulted in levels of apoptosis similar to those induced by the C . jejuni wild-type isolate, suggesting that the Cia proteins have a role in apoptosis induction . It was shown that a proteinase K- and heat-stable component of C . jejuni also stimulated THP-1 apoptosis . Inoculation with a C . jejuni gmhD mutant indicated that lipooligosaccharide was not the stimulatory molecule . Immunoblot and ELISA analyses revealed that C . jejuni infection stimulated the synthesis, processing and secretion of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) . Inhibition of caspase 1 activity eliminated IL-1 beta processing and secretion, but did not affect apoptosis induction . In addition, treatment of cells with a caspase-9-specific inhibitor did not affect apoptosis induction, arguing against activation of an apoptotic pathway dependent on either caspase 1 or 9 activation . Collectively, these data suggest that the inoculation of macrophages with C . jejuni results in the processing of IL-1 beta and apoptosis through different regulatory pathways . Furthermore, these data argue that C . jejuni may use a mechanism distinct from Salmonella typhimurium and Shigella flexneri to initiate macrophage apoptosis and release of IL-1 beta.

Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 2003 Dec, 31(6), 417 - 25
Occurrence of periodontal bacteria in healthy children: a 2-year longitudinal study; Ooshima T et al.; OBJECTIVES: To examine the occurrence of specific periodontal bacteria in children and adolescents . METHODS: Ten putative periodontal bacteria were longitudinally examined in plaque and saliva samples from 119 periodontally healthy children (2-15 years old) using a polymerase chain reaction method . RESULTS: Capnocytophaga ochracea, C . sputigena, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans were frequently found in saliva, and tended to persist in saliva for the remainder of the study, whereas Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Prevotella intermedia were rarely detected . P . nigrescens was more frequently detected in plaque and its prevalence increased with age . Eikenella corrodens and Campylobacter rectus were sometimes detected in both plaque and saliva, while Tannerella forsythensis was occasionally detected in saliva . CONCLUSION: A . actinomycetemcomitans, C . ochracea, C . sputigena, P . nigrescens, C . rectus, and E . corrodens are common members of the oral microbial flora of healthy children, whereas P . gingivalis, P . intermedia, and T . denticola appear to be transient organisms.

J Biol Chem, 2004 May 7, 279(19), 20327 - 38 Epub 2004 Feb 25.
Genome-wide expression analyses of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 reveals coordinate regulation of motility and virulence by flhA; Carrillo CD et al.; We examined two variants of the genome-sequenced strain, Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168, which show marked differences in their virulence properties including colonization of poultry, invasion of Caco-2 cells, and motility . Transcript profiles obtained from whole genome DNA microarrays and proteome analyses demonstrated that these differences are reflected in late flagellar structural components and in virulence factors including those involved in flagellar glycosylation and cytolethal distending toxin production . We identified putative sigma(28) and sigma(54) promoters for many of the affected genes and found that greater differences in expression were observed for sigma(28)-controlled genes . Inactivation of the gene encoding sigma(28), fliA, resulted in an unexpected increase in transcripts with sigma(54) promoters, as well as decreased transcription of sigma(28)-regulated genes . This was unlike the transcription profile observed for the attenuated C . jejuni variant, suggesting that the reduced virulence of this organism was not entirely due to impaired function of sigma(28) . However, inactivation of flhA, an important component of the flagellar export apparatus, resulted in expression patterns similar to that of the attenuated variant . These findings indicate that the flagellar regulatory system plays an important role in campylobacter pathogenesis and that flhA is a key element involved in the coordinate regulation of late flagellar genes and of virulence factors in C . jejuni.

Infect Immun, 2004 Mar, 72(3), 1715 - 24
Conservation and diversity of sap homologues and their organization among Campylobacter fetus isolates; Tu ZC et al.; Campylobacter fetus surface layer proteins (SLPs), encoded by sapA homologues, are important in virulence . In wild-type C . fetus strain 23D, all eight sapA homologues are located in the 54-kb sap island, and SLP expression reflects the position of a unique sapA promoter in relation to the sapA homologues . The extensive homologies in the sap island include both direct and inverted repeats, which allow DNA rearrangements, deletion, or duplication; these elements confer substantial potential for genomic plasticity . To better understand C . fetus sap island diversity and variation mechanisms, we investigated the organization and distribution of sapA homologues among 18 C . fetus strains of different subspecies, serotypes, and origins . For all type A strains, the boundaries of the sap island were relatively consistent . A 187-bp noncoding DNA insertion near the upstream boundary of the sap island was found in two of three reptile strains studied . The sapA homologue profiles were strain specific, and six new sapA homologues were recognized . Several homologues from reptile strains are remarkably conserved in relation to their corresponding mammalian homologues . In total, the observed differences suggest that the sap island has evolved differing genotypes that are plastic, perhaps enabling colonization of varied niches, in addition to antigenic variation.

J Formos Med Assoc, 2003 Dec, 102(12), 857 - 62
Comparison of rabeprazole-based four- and seven-day triple therapy and omeprazole-based seven-day triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with peptic ulcer; Yang KC et al.; BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rabeprazole is a new proton pump inhibitor producing rapid inhibition of gastric acid secretion . This may potentiate the inhibitory effect of antibiotics against Helicobacter pylori . This study compared the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of 4- and 7-day rabeprazole-based triple therapies versus 7-day omeprazole-based triple therapy . METHODS: A total of 70 H . pylori-infected peptic ulcer patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: RAC4 (rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 4 days), RAC7 (rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days), and OAC7 (omeprazole 20mg, amoxicillin 1000 mg, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days) . Endoscopy, Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test, H . pylori culture, and 13C-urea breath test were performed before randomization and 8 weeks after the start of triple therapy . RESULTS: Intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rates for the RAC4, RAC7, and OAC7 groups were 87% (20/23), 83%(19/23), and 88% (21/24), respectively, and per-protocol (PP) eradication rates were 91% (20/22), 95% (19/20), and 100% (21/21), respectively . There was no significant difference among the ITT or PP eradication rates of the 3 groups . All 3 regimens were well tolerated and compliance was excellent . CONCLUSIONS: One-week RAC and 1-week OAC are equally effective for H . pylori eradication in peptic ulcer patients . The duration of RAC triple therapy can be shortened to 4 days without compromising its efficacy.

Water Res, 2004 Mar, 38(5), 1113 - 20
Die-off of enteric bacterial pathogens during mesophilic anaerobic digestion; Horan NJ et al.; Conventionally treated sewage sludge may contain high concentrations of potentially pathogenic microorganisms and additional treatment is required to minimise the risks to health if it is to be recycled to agricultural land . Mesophilic anaerobic digestion (MAD) is the most widely used process in the UK for stabilising sludge prior to agricultural recycling, but little is known about the fate of a number of enteric pathogens as the sludge passes through the treatment processes . The aim of this study was to determine the efficiency of MAD in removing the bacterial enteric pathogens, Salmonella senftenberg, Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter jejuni which were added as a spike to the digester feedstock, together with the die-off of indigenous Escherichia coli already present in the sludge . The primary sludge digestion stage of MAD was found to achieve a log removal of 1.66 for E . coli, 2.23 for L . monocytogenes and 2.23 for S . senftenberg . However, the extent of die-off was a function of the numbers of pathogens in the feed and as these increased the log removal also increased . The numbers of C . jejuni were not affected by primary sludge digestion . Additional die-off was provided by secondary sludge digestion with log removals of 1.70 for E . coli, 2.10 for S . senftenberg and 0.36 for C . jejuni.

J Bacteriol, 2004 Mar, 186(5), 1518 - 30
eBURST: inferring patterns of evolutionary descent among clusters of related bacterial genotypes from multilocus sequence typing data; Feil EJ et al.; The introduction of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for the precise characterization of isolates of bacterial pathogens has had a marked impact on both routine epidemiological surveillance and microbial population biology . In both fields, a key prerequisite for exploiting this resource is the ability to discern the relatedness and patterns of evolutionary descent among isolates with similar genotypes . Traditional clustering techniques, such as dendrograms, provide a very poor representation of recent evolutionary events, as they attempt to reconstruct relationships in the absence of a realistic model of the way in which bacterial clones emerge and diversify to form clonal complexes . An increasingly popular approach, called BURST, has been used as an alternative, but present implementations are unable to cope with very large data sets and offer crude graphical outputs . Here we present a new implementation of this algorithm, eBURST, which divides an MLST data set of any size into groups of related isolates and clonal complexes, predicts the founding (ancestral) genotype of each clonal complex, and computes the bootstrap support for the assignment . The most parsimonious patterns of descent of all isolates in each clonal complex from the predicted founder(s) are then displayed . The advantages of eBURST for exploring patterns of evolutionary descent are demonstrated with a number of examples, including the simple Spain(23F)-1 clonal complex of Streptococcus pneumoniae, "population snapshots" of the entire S . pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus MLST databases, and the more complicated clonal complexes observed for Campylobacter jejuni and Neisseria meningitidis.

Public Health Nutr, 2004 Feb, 7(1), 85 - 9
Consumption of foods by young children with diagnosed campylobacter infection - a pilot case-control study; Cameron S et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine whether parentally reported habitual intake of specific foods differed between children with diagnosed Campylobacter jejuni infection and children of a comparison group without diagnosed infection . DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Information was collected from the parents or primary caregivers of South Australian children aged 1-5 years with diagnosed C . jejuni (cases, n=172) and an age- and gender-matched group of uninfected children (controls, n=173) . Frequency of consumption of 106 food and drink items was determined for the preceding two months by food-frequency questionnaire . Four children in the control group had recorded diarrhoeal episodes during the assessment period and were excluded, so 169 responses were evaluated for this group . Information was gathered on possible confounders including socio-economic status . Response frequencies were classified into three levels of consumption (rarely, weekly or daily) and statistical comparison was made by frequency of consumption of foods versus the 'rarely' classification for cases and controls, respectively . RESULTS: Frequency of consumption of most foods, including starchy foods and fruits and vegetables, did not differ between cases and controls . However, reported consumption of eight food items (block and processed cheese (slices and spread), salami/fritz (a form of processed sausage), chicken nuggets, pasteurised milk, fish (canned or fresh) and hot French fries) was significantly higher by controls . CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis that reported consumption of starchy foods was lower by cases than by controls was not supported by the data . However, consumption of some processed and unprocessed foods was higher by controls . Some of these foods have established bactericidal actions in vitro that may indicate a possible mechanism for this apparent protection.

J Food Prot, 2004 Feb, 67(2), 239 - 45
Distribution and characterization of Campylobacter spp . from Russian poultry; Stern NJ et al.; The distribution of Campylobacter spp . on 13 poultry farms (broiler chicken, quail, pheasant, peacock, and turkey) from eight regions (Vladimir, Vologda, Voronezh, Kaluga, Liptsk, Moscow, Orenburg, and Orel) in Russia was surveyed . Intestinal materials were plated onto Campylobacter-selective medium and plates were incubated microaerobically at 42 degrees C for 24 or 48 h . Identification was based on colonial morphology, microscopic examination, and biochemical tests; latex agglutination assays were used for confirmation . In total, 116 isolates were derived from 370 samples . Isolation rates were similar, regardless of whether the birds were from small or large broiler production farms . Susceptibility of 48 representative (from these production sources) strains of Campylobacter spp . to 38 antimicrobial compounds was determined by disk diffusion assays . All strains tested were sensitive to amikacin, gentamycin, sisomycin, chloramphenicol, imipenem, oleandomycin, erythromycin, azitromycin, and ampicillin . The strains were also sensitive to 100 microg/disk of carbenicillin, fluoroquinolones, and to nitrofurans . Fluoroquinolone sensitivity was most notable and may be related to its limited application in poultry production within Russia . Hippurate and ribosomal RNA gene primers were developed and used to distinguish Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and to provide a measure of strain discrimination . The combination of PCR analysis and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing were conducted for selected isolates . The various poultry species and the different locations yielded Campylobacter isolates with discrete randomly amplified polymorphic DNA patterns . The distribution and substantial diversity of Campylobacter spp . isolates appears similar to that previously reported in other countries.

J Food Prot, 2004 Feb, 67(2), 235 - 8
Effect of intestinal content contamination on broiler carcass Campylobacter counts; Berrang ME et al.; Intestinal contents may contaminate broiler carcasses during processing . The objective of this study was to determine what effect various levels of intestinal contents had on the numbers of Campylobacter detected in broiler carcass rinse samples . Eviscerated broiler carcasses were collected from the shackle line in a commercial processing plant immediately after passing through an inside/outside washer . Broiler carcasses were cut longitudinally into contralateral halves using a sanitized saw . Cecal contents from the same flock were collected, pooled, homogenized, and used to contaminate carcass halves . Paired carcass halves were divided into groups of eight each, and then cecal contents (2, 5, 10, 50, or 100 mg) were placed onto one randomly selected half of each carcass, while the corresponding half of the same broiler carcass received no cecal contents . Campylobacter counts from carcass halves with cecal contamination were compared to the uncontaminated halves of the same carcasses using a paired t test . Carcass halves with 5 mg or more of surface cecal contamination had significantly higher numbers of Campylobacter than those without (P < 0.01) . Carcass halves contaminated with only 5 mg of cecal contents had an average of 3.3 log CFU Campylobacter per ml of rinse, while corresponding uncontaminated carcass halves had 2.6 log CFU Campylobacter per ml of rinse . These data indicate that even small (5 mg) amounts of cecal contents can cause a significant increase in the numbers of Campylobacter on eviscerated broiler carcasses . Therefore, it is important to keep such contamination to a minimum during processing.

J Food Prot, 2004 Feb, 67(2), 228 - 34
Characterization of Campylobacter isolates recovered from clinically healthy pigs and from sporadic cases of campylobacteriosis in humans; Guevremont E et al.; Campylobacter spp . were recovered from 660 (77.6%) of 850 swine cecal contents at the abattoir and from 24 (8.6%) of 278 specimens from sporadic cases of human diarrhea during the same period in the same geographical area . Campylobacter coli represented 95.7% of Campylobacter isolates recovered from pigs and 8.3% of those isolated from humans . Genetic profiles were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using KpnI enzyme to characterize the isolates in combination with phenotypic assays to detect production of cytotoxins, enterotoxins, and hemolysins . Among a subset of isolates (n = 10), up to five colonies from the same animal were characterized by PFGE . In 5 (50%) of 10 of the isolates, more than one genetic profile was observed per pig . Among the 100 isolates from pigs selected for further analysis, 81 different genetic profiles were observed, whereas 20 different genetic profiles were found among the 24 isolates of human origin . Cytotoxicity on Chinese hamster ovary cells was observed in 11 (11%) of 98 isolates from pigs and in 5 (21%) of 24 Campylobacter isolates from humans . No enterotoxin production was detected in Campylobacter isolates in this study, but 17 (71%) of 24 human and 61 (63%) of 97 pig isolates showed hemolytic activity . The study of genotypic and phenotypic profiles of swine and human isolates revealed no epidemiological relationship between isolates . The low genomic relatedness observed between groups of isolates and the weak toxicity level of swine isolates suggest that the hazard of contamination of humans by Campylobacter associated with swine production is low.

J Microbiol Methods, 2004 Mar, 56(3), 395 - 400
Detection of PCR amplicons from bacterial pathogens using microsphere agglutination; Wu SJ et al.; For rapid and inexpensive detection of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons, a novel microsphere agglutination assay has been developed . PCR is carried out using biotinylated forward and reverse primers, and the amplified DNA fragments are able to agglutinate streptavidin-coated microspheres (5.7 microm in diameter) . Purification of PCR amplicons is unnecessary when initial primer concentrations are 250 nM . Agglutination can be identified visually within 2 min without any additional equipment or reagents . Using listeriolysin (lisA)-specific biotinylated primers, we have successfully detected and identified Listeria monocytogenes lisA+ cells among Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells . The simplicity of this protocol considerably reduces the time and cost of diagnostic PCR experiments . This procedure is potentially useful for various studies and field applications.

J Appl Microbiol, 2004, 96(3), 499 - 509
Microbiological examination of ready-to-eat cold sliced meats and pâté from catering and retail premises in the UK; Elson R et al.; AIMS: To establish the microbiological quality of cold ready-to-eat sliced meats and pate from catering and retail premises, and investigate links hypothesized between foodborne Campylobacter infection and the consumption of cold sliced meats . METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 4078 cold meat and pate samples were collected and examined according to a standardized protocol . Comparison with published microbiological guidelines revealed that most ready-to-eat meat and pate samples (75%) were of satisfactory/acceptable microbiological quality and 25% were of unsatisfactory/unacceptable quality . Two cold meat samples (<1%) were of unacceptable microbiological quality because of the presence of Campylobacter jejuni in 25 g and Listeria monocytogenes at 3.4 x 104 CFU g-1 . CONCLUSIONS: Acceptable microbiological quality was associated with premises where the management was trained in food hygiene and those that had hazard analysis in place . Poor microbiological quality was associated with storage above 8 degrees C, presliced meats, infrequent cleaning of slicing equipment and poor control of practices that may lead to cross contamination . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study provides important information about the microbiological quality of cold ready-to-eat meats and pate . It also assists caterers, retailers, enforcement officers and policy makers to understand how different food safety practices affect microbiological quality.

J Biol Chem, 2004 Apr 16, 279(16), 16214 - 22 Epub 2004 Feb 11.
The FlgS/FlgR two-component signal transduction system regulates the fla regulon in Campylobacter jejuni; Wosten MM et al.; The human pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is a highly motile organism that carries a flagellum on each pole . The flagellar motility is regarded as an important trait in C . jejuni colonization of the intestinal tract, however, the knowledge of the regulation of this important colonization factor is rudimentary . We demonstrate by phosphorylation assays that the sensor FlgS and the response regulator FlgR form a two-component system that is on the top of the Campylobacter flagellum hierarchy . Phosphorylated FlgR is needed to activate RpoN-dependent genes of which the products form the hook-basal body filament complex . By real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR we identified that FlgS, FlgR, RpoN, and FliA belong to the early flagellar genes and are regulated by sigma70 . FliD and the putative anti-sigma-factor FlgM are regulated by a sigma54- and sigma28-dependent promoters . Activation of the fla regulon is growth phase-dependent, a 100-fold rpoN mRNA reduction is seen in the early stationary phase compared with the early logarithmic phase . Whereas flaB transcription decreases, flaA transcription increases in early stationary phase . Our data show that the C . jejuni flagellar hierarchy largely differs from that of other bacteria . Phenotypical analysis revealed that unflagellated C . jejuni mutants grow three times faster in broth medium compared with wild-type bacteria . In vivo the C . jejuni flagella are needed to pass the gastrointestinal tract of chickens, but not to colonize the ceaca of the chicken.

FEBS Lett, 2004 Feb 13, 559(1-3), 136 - 40
Characterization of CJ1293, a new UDP-GlcNAc C6 dehydratase from Campylobacter jejuni; Creuzenet C; Campylobacter jejuni encodes numerous sugar-nucleotide-modifying enzymes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of surface carbohydrates . One of them, CJ1293, is involved in flagellin glycosylation but its biochemical activity remains unknown . Using over-expressed and purified protein, we demonstrate that CJ1293 has UDP-GlcNAc-specific C(6) dehydratase activity . Catalysis occurs without addition of cofactor, suggesting internal recycling of NAD(P)(+) . The K(m) for UDP-GlcNAc of 50 microM indicates that CJ1293 has higher affinity for its substrate than previously characterized homologues . Based on enzymatic data, we propose that CJ1293 catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of bacillosamine, a sugar found in C . jejuni's protein glycosylation motifs.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Dec, 131(3), 1181 - 6
Antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter in raw retail chickens and imported chicken portions; Wilson IG; Campylobacter isolates from raw retail chickens (n = 434) sampled between 1998 and 2000 were tested for resistance to 12 antibiotics . Among 208 campylobacters tested, more than 90% of isolates were susceptible to 4 out of 9 antibiotics (nalidixic acid, erythromycin, chloramphenicol and gentamicin) . Most campylobacters were resistant to 3 antibiotics and multiple resistance was found in 4% . Ciprofloxacin resistance was 11% . Campylobacter contamination (28%) in imported chickens (n = 150) was almost half that found in local whole chickens (50%), but the resistance of imported isolates (n = 42) was similar to that of local campylobacters . Resistance in isolates from imported chicken breasts was generally more common, but to only 4 antibiotics . Resistance patterns of chicken isolates were compared to human clinical isolates (n = 494), and a greater similarity was found between the clinical and local isolates than with imported campylobacters . Lower chloramphenicol resistance was found in clinical Campylobacter isolates than in those from chicken sources.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Dec, 131(3), 1169 - 80
Routes for Campylobacter contamination of poultry meat: epidemiological study from hatchery to slaughterhouse; Herman L et al.; From April 1998 to March 2000, 18 broiler flocks were followed from the hatchery to the slaughterhouse . Campylobacter was not found in the hatchery, 1-day-old chicks or in the rearing house before the arrival of the chicks . The infection of broiler flocks increased continuously during the rearing time, with a total of seven positive flocks at the end of rearing . Farms with Campylobacter-positive broilers were characterized by the circulation of Campylobacter in the environment (puddles, dung hill) and on the footwear of the farmer . The administration of antibiotics did not significantly reduce Campylobacter shedding . With the exception of one flock during rearing and a few flocks in the slaughterhouse with a mixed Campylobacter coli-Campylobacter jejuni infection, C . jejuni exclusively was found both during rearing and on the carcasses . A significant correlation exits between the contamination of the broilers during rearing and the carcasses after processing . No slaughterhouse was able to avoid contamination of carcasses when status-positive animals were delivered . Moreover, six negatively delivered flocks yielded positive carcasses, the result of a supplementary contamination, which occurred during transport and slaughtering.

Eur J Oral Sci, 2004 Feb, 112(1), 33 - 41
Gingival crevice microbiota from Chinese patients with gingivitis or necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis; Gmur R et al.; The objective of this study was to quantitatively compare the bacterial population structure in plaque from the gingival margin of two groups of 21 Chinese patients with gingivitis or necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (NUG) . Subjects were recruited in four dental clinics in Eastern China . Samples were quantitatively assessed by immunofluorescence and fluorescent in situ hybridization for taxa known to be associated with periodontal diseases . The analyses showed that the fusiform taxa (Fusobacterium nucleatum/Fusobacterium periodonticum, Leptotrichia buccalis, Tannerella forsythensis, and Capnocytophaga sp.), Campylobacter rectus, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Selenomonas sputigena, and treponemes were present in both groups with high prevalence . Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinomyces gerencseriae were much more prevalent in the NUG group . Quantitatively, most taxa, including P . gingivalis, F . nucleatum and the treponemes, accounted, on average, for < 3% of the total bacterial cell number . Only P . intermedia/P . nigrescens, P . gingivalis, S . sputigena, A . gerencseriae, and the sum of all monitored suspected periodontal pathogens were significantly increased in the NUG group . The present study demonstrates for both groups a highly diverse plaque composition and suggests that, etiologically, the overall concentration and the concerted effects of the entire group of opportunistic pathogens thriving in NUG-associated plaque are of prime importance.

Am J Epidemiol, 2004 Feb 15, 159(4), 406 - 12
Household outbreaks among culture-confirmed cases of bacterial gastrointestinal disease; Ethelberg S et al.; To examine the general frequency of household outbreaks, the authors performed a retrospective search among cases of the five most frequent gastrointestinal bacterial pathogens in Denmark, a country of 5.3 million inhabitants . This was done for 57,667 cases registered from 1991 to 2001 by finding all cases that shared addresses and became infected within 3 weeks of one another . The percentage of cases that were part of household outbreaks was found to be 3.2% for Campylobacter, 13.3% for Salmonella serotype Enteritidis, 5.6% for Salmonella serotype Typhimurium, 2.0% for Yersinia enterocolitica, and 10.4% for Shigella sonnei . The vast majority of the outbreaks had not previously been registered . The wide variation in the ability to cause household outbreaks among the different types of bacteria reflects differences in their epidemiology and most likely also mirrors their overall outbreak potential . Differences in the time occurring between infections of household members may also indicate differences in the importance of person-to-person transmission for the different types of bacteria . The fact that household outbreaks occur with a relatively high frequency may be utilized in future analyses of sources of infection, in particular of Campylobacter, for which more household outbreaks than expected were identified.

Joint Bone Spine, 2004 Jan, 71(1), 63 - 5
Campylobacter fetus septic arthritis revealing a malignancy; Rollot K et al.; Campylobacter fetus is a rare cause of bone and joint infection . We report a new case in a patient who also had endocarditis due to the same organism . This type of infection usually occurs in immunocompromised hosts . Investigations in our patient found a cancer of the prostate.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 42(2), 819 - 21
Simultaneous presence of multiple Campylobacter species in dogs; Koene MG et al.; The prevalence of coinfection of Campylobacter species in dogs was determined using four isolation methods . In 26% of the positive-testing stools, multiple Campylobacter species were identified . The use of multiple isolation methods as well as the time lapse between sampling and processing are important for detection of coinfection.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 42(2), 700 - 6
Genetic characterization and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from meats, water, and humans in Sweden; Lindmark H et al.; The incidence of Campylobacter jejuni has increased during the last decade, and today it is the leading cause of bacterial enteritis in most developed countries . Still, there is a lack of knowledge about infection routes and to what extent identified sources are responsible for spreading the bacterium to humans . The major objective of this work was to explore the genetic similarity between C . jejuni isolated from different sources . C . jejuni isolated from patients (n = 95), five types of meat (n = 71), and raw water (n = 11) during the year 2000 were subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) . The pulsotypes obtained after digestion with SmaI revealed not only that C . jejuni is genetically diverse but also that specific pulsotypes occur frequently . Five clusters comprising 88 of the 162 SmaI-digested isolates were obtained . After digestion with KpnI most isolates in four of the five clusters were still indistinguishable, while the fifth cluster was strongly dissolved . The clusters comprised high frequencies of human and meat isolates, while only one of nine water isolates belonged to a cluster . The largest cluster comprised 21 human isolates, one raw water isolate, and seven chicken meat isolates, originating from at least six different broiler flocks . Low frequencies of antibiotic resistance were revealed when the meat and water isolates were tested for sensitivity to six antibiotics . Interestingly, the five isolates resistant to quinolones displayed similar or identical pulsotypes . The results showed that PFGE has proved useful in identifying clones and will be used in future work focusing on identification and eradication of the major reservoirs for common clones.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 42(2), 627 - 30
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Helicobacter pylori needs adjustment for the population investigated; Hoang TT et al.; Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulcer disease are common in developing countries, e.g., Vietnam . An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for screening of patients and for seroepidemiology is a useful tool but needs to be validated in the population studied . We used in-house ELISA with sonicated Swedish and Vietnamese strains as antigens to measure immunoglobulin G antibodies after absorption with sonicated Campylobacter jejuni in sera from 270 H . pylori culture-confirmed peptic ulcer patients, 128 Swedish urea-breath test and immunoblot-positive healthy controls, and 432 Vietnamese immunoblot-positive population controls . Sonicated whole-cell antigen based on the local strains showed a significantly better performance . Immunoblot-positive peptic ulcer patients had significantly higher antibody concentrations than immunoblot-positive population controls, necessitating a lower cutoff level if serology is used for screening or epidemiological purposes . The study shows that the parameters of ELISA for H . pylori need to be adjusted for the population being investigated.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 70(2), 1182 - 9
Comparison of survival of Campylobacter jejuni in the phyllosphere with that in the rhizosphere of spinach and radish plants; Brandl MT et al.; Campylobacter jejuni has been isolated previously from market produce and has caused gastroenteritis outbreaks linked to produce . We have tested the ability of this human pathogen to utilize organic compounds that are present in leaf and root exudates and to survive in the plant environment under various conditions . Carbon utilization profiles revealed that C . jejuni can utilize many organic acids and amino acids available on leaves and roots . Despite the presence of suitable substrates in the phyllosphere and the rhizosphere, C . jejuni was unable to grow on lettuce and spinach leaves and on spinach and radish roots of plants incubated at 33 degrees C, a temperature that is conducive to its growth in vitro . However, C . jejuni was cultured from radish roots and from the spinach rhizosphere for at least 23 and 28 days, respectively, at 10 degrees C . This enteric pathogen also persisted in the rhizosphere of spinach for prolonged periods of time at 16 degrees C, a temperature at which many cool-season crops are grown . The decline rate constants of C . jejuni populations in the spinach and radish rhizosphere were 10- and 6-fold lower, respectively, than on healthy spinach leaves at 10 degrees C . The enhanced survival of C . jejuni in soil and in the rhizosphere may be a significant factor in its contamination cycle in the environment and may be associated with the sporadic C . jejuni incidence and campylobacteriosis outbreaks linked to produce.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 70(2), 822 - 30
Genotypic and antibiotic susceptibility characteristics of a Campylobacter coli population isolated from dairy farmland in the United Kingdom; Leatherbarrow AJ et al.; Campylobacter infections are the most common cause of bacterial enteritis in humans, and nearly 8% of such infections are caused by Campylobacter coli . Most studies have concentrated on Campylobacter jejuni, frequently isolated from intensively farmed poultry and livestock production units, and few studies have examined the spread and relatedness of Campylobacter across a range of geographical and host boundaries . Systematic sampling of a 100-km2 area of mixed farmland in northwest England yielded 88 isolates of C . coli from a range of sample types and locations, and water was heavily represented . Screening for antibiotic resistance revealed a very low prevalence of resistance, while genotyping performed by using three methods (flaA PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism {RFLP}, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis {PFGE}, and fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism {fAFLP}) provided insights into the genomic relatedness of isolates from different locations and hosts . Isolates were classified into 23 flaA groups, 34 PFGE groups, and five major fAFLP clusters . PFGE banding analysis revealed a high level of variability and no clustering by sample type . fAFLP and flaA analyses successfully grouped the isolates by sample type . We report preliminary findings suggesting that there is a strain of C . coli which may have become adapted to survival or persistence in water and that there is a group of mainly water-derived isolates from which unusual flaA PCR fragments were recovered.

J Clin Periodontol, 2003 Nov, 30(11), 1003 - 10
Relationship between periodontal pocket sulfide levels and subgingival species; Torresyap G et al.; BACKGROUND: Many species implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) . This investigation examined the relationship between levels of sulfide and subgingival bacterial species in the same periodontal pockets . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty chronic periodontitis subjects were measured clinically at six sites per tooth for plaque, gingivitis, bleeding on probing, suppuration, pocket depth and attachment level . Subgingival plaque samples, taken from the mesial aspect of each tooth, were individually analyzed for their content of 40 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization . Sulfide levels were measured at the same sites using a Diamond Probe/Perio 2000 system . Clinical and microbiological data were averaged for sulfide-positive and -negative sites separately in each subject and then averaged across subjects . Significance differences in clinical and microbial parameters between sulfide-positive and -negative sites were sought using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test . RESULTS: Mean total DNA probe counts (x10(5), +/-SEM) at sulfide-negative and -positive sites were 44.0 +/- 9.9 and 65.0 +/- 13.3, respectively (p < 0.01) . Seventeen species were found at significantly higher levels in sulfide-positive than -negative sites . These included abundant producers of VSC such as members of the genera Fusobacterium, Campylobacter, Prevotella, Treponema and Eubacterium, and Bacteriodes forsythus, Selenomonas noxia and Propionibacterium acnes . Prevotella intermedia, Bacteriodes forsythus, Prevotella nigrescens, Fusobacterium nucleatum ss vincentii and Treponema denticola exhibited the greatest difference in mean counts between sulfide-negative and -positive sites . Orange and red complex species were at higher counts at shallow (< 4 mm) sulfide-positive than shallow sulfide-negative sites . Although not statistically significant, mean clinical parameters were somewhat higher at sulfide-positive than sulfide-negative sites . CONCLUSIONS: Intra-pocket sulfide levels reflect the levels of sulfide-producing species and may provide useful diagnostic information.

J Clin Periodontol, 2003 Nov, 30(11), 990 - 5
Bacterial colonization during de novo plaque formation; Ramberg P et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine microbial changes that occur during plaque formation in a dentition free of gingival inflammation . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten subjects were recruited . The study included one preparatory period (2 weeks) and a plaque accumulation period (4 days) . The volunteers exercised proper tooth cleaning methods, were scaled and received repeated professional mechanical tooth cleaning during the preparatory period . During the plaque accumulation period, the participants abstained from plaque control measures . Plaque was scored on the approximal surfaces of maxillary and mandibular premolars on Days 0, 1, 2 and 4 using a scale from 0 to 5 and according to the criteria of the Quigley and Hein Plaque Index (QHI) . Supragingival plaque samples were obtained from the same intervals and surfaces and evaluated using a checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization technique . RESULTS: The mean QHI increased from 0 to 1.6 (Day 4) . The total number of organisms on Day 0 averaged 140 x 10(5) and increased to about 210 x 10(5) after 4 days without oral hygiene . The most dominant species on Day 0 were members of the genus Actinomyces . These organisms comprised almost 50% of the microbiota evaluated . None of the Actinomyces species increased significantly during the 4 days . Some Streptococcus species increased significantly over time as well as species of the genera Capnocytophaga, Campylobacter, Fusobacteria and Actinomyces actinomycetemcomitans . CONCLUSION: In the present investigation, the preparatory phase established a situation with minimal gingival inflammation and close to zero amounts of dental plaque . The Day 0 plaque samples exhibited high proportions of Actinomyces species . During the 4 days of no oral hygiene, there was a small increase in total numbers of organisms as well as a modest increase in the proportion of "disease-associated" taxa such as species of the "orange complex" species.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2004 Feb 1, 90(3), 321 - 9
Emergence of variants with altered survival properties in stationary phase cultures of Campylobacter jejuni; Martinez-Rodriguez A et al.; During the stationary phase of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11351 viable numbers fluctuate in a characteristic fashion . After reaching the maximum cell count (ca . 2 x 10(9) CFU/ml) in early stationary phase (denoted phase 1), viable numbers subsequently decrease to about 10(6) CFU/ml after 48 h and then increase again to about 10(8) CFU/ml (denoted phase 2) before decreasing once more to a value intermediate between the previous maximum and minimum values . To investigate whether the increase in viable numbers following the initial decline was due to the emergence of a new strain with a growth advantage in stationary phase analogous to the 'GASP' phenotype described in Escherichia coli {Science 259 (1993) 1757}, we conducted mixed culture experiments with cells from the original culture and antibiotic-resistant marked organisms isolated from the re-growth phase . In many experiments of this type, strains isolated from phase 2 failed to out-compete the original strain and we have thus been unable to demonstrate a convincing GASP phenotype . However, strains isolated from phase 2 showed a much lower rate of viability loss in early stationary phase and a small increase in resistance to aeration, peroxide challenge and heat, indicating that the emergent strain was different from the parent . These results support the view that dynamic population changes occur during the stationary phase of C . jejuni that may play a role in the survival of this organism.

Anal Chem, 2004 Feb 1, 76(3), 619 - 26
Selective detection and identification of sugar nucleotides by CE-electrospray-MS and its application to bacterial metabolomics; Soo EC et al.; A novel method employing CE-ESMS and precursor ion scanning was developed for the selective detection of nucleotide-activated sugars . By using precursor ion scanning for fragment ions specific to the different nucleotide carriers, i.e., ions at m/z 322 for cytidine monophosphate, m/z 323, 385, and 403 for uridine diphosphate, m/z 362, 424, and 442, for guanosine diphosphate, and m/z 346, 408, and 426 for adenosine diphosphate, it was possible to selectively detect sugar nucleotides involved in the biosynthesis of glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins and lipopolysaccharides . Enhancement of sensitivity was achieved using N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) as a sample stacking buffer and provided detection limits between 0.2 and 3.8 pmol.mL(-)(1) . The present CE-ESMS method provided linear dynamic ranges over the concentrations 0.2-164 nM (r(2) = 0.952-0.997) for different nucleotide sugar standards . The application of this method is demonstrated for the identification of intracellular pools of sugar nucleotides in wild type and isogenic mutants from the bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni . By using product ion scanning (with and without front-end collision-induced dissociation), it was possible to determine the precise nature of unexpected sugar nucleotides involved in the biosynthesis of pseudaminic acid, a sialic acid-like sugar previously observed on the flagellin of some pathogenic bacteria.

Infect Immun, 2004 Feb, 72(2), 1199 - 203
Comparison of Campylobacter jejuni isolates implicated in Guillain-Barré syndrome and strains that cause enteritis by a DNA microarray; Leonard EE 2nd et al.; We asked whether Campylobacter jejuni isolated from patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) differ from isolates isolated from patients with uncomplicated gastrointestinal infection using DNA microarray analysis . We found that specific GBS genes or regions were not identified, and microarray analysis confirmed significant genomic heterogeneity among the isolates.

Infect Immun, 2004 Feb, 72(2), 1162 - 5
Evidence for acquisition of the lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis locus in Campylobacter jejuni GB11, a strain isolated from a patient with Guillain-Barré syndrome, by horizontal exchange; Gilbert M et al.; Campylobacter jejuni GB11, a strain isolated from a patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome, has been shown to be genetically closely related to the completely sequenced strain C . jejuni NCTC 11168 by various molecular typing and serotyping methods . However, we observed that the lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis genes strongly diverged between GB11 and NCTC 11168 . We sequenced the LOS biosynthesis locus of GB11 and found that it was nearly identical to the class A LOS locus from the C . jejuni HS:19 Penner serotype strain (ATCC 43446) . Analysis of the DNA sequencing data showed that a horizontal exchange event involving at least 14.26 kb had occurred in the LOS biosynthesis locus of GB11 between galE (Cj1131c in NCTC 11168) and gmhA (Cj1149 in NCTC 11168) . Mass spectrometry of the GB11 LOS showed that GB11 expressed an LOS outer core that mimicked the carbohydrate portion of the gangliosides GM1a and GD1a, similar to C . jejuni ATCC 43446 . The serum from the GB11-infected patient was shown to react with the LOS from both GB11 and ATCC 43446 but not with that from NCTC 11168 . These data indicate that the antiganglioside response in the GB11-infected patient was raised against the structures synthesized by the acquired class A LOS locus.

Infect Immun, 2004 Feb, 72(2), 1116 - 25
Gastroenteritis in NF-kappaB-deficient mice is produced with wild-type Camplyobacter jejuni but not with C . jejuni lacking cytolethal distending toxin despite persistent colonization with both strains; Fox JG et al.; Campylobacter jejuni continues to be a leading cause of bacterial enteritis in humans . However, because there are no readily available animal models to study the pathogenesis of C . jejuni-related diseases, the significance of potential virulence factors, such as cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), in vivo are poorly understood . Mice deficient in NF-kappaB subunits (p50(-/-) p65(+/-)) in a C57BL/129 background are particularly susceptible to colitis induced by another enterohepatic microaerobe, Helicobacter hepaticus, which, like C . jejuni, produces CDT . Wild-type C . jejuni 81-176 and an isogenic mutant lacking CDT activity (cdtB mutant) were inoculated into NF-kappaB-deficient (3X) and C57BL/129 mice . Wild-type C . jejuni colonized 29 and 50% of the C57BL/129 mice at 2 and 4 months postinfection (p.i.), respectively, whereas the C . jejuni cdtB mutant colonized 50% of the C57BL/129 mice at 2 p.i . but none of the mice at 4 months p.i . Although the C57BL/129 mice developed mild gastritis and typhlocolitis, they had robust immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Th1-promoted IgG2a humoral responses to both the wild-type strain and the C . jejuni cdtB mutant . In contrast, 75 to 100% of the 3X mice were colonized with both the wild type and the C . jejuni cdtB mutant at similar levels at all times examined . Wild-type C . jejuni caused moderately severe gastritis and proximal duodenitis in 3X mice that were more severe than the gastrointestinal lesions caused by the C . jejuni cdtB mutant . Persistent colonization of NF-kappaB-deficient mice with the wild type and the C . jejuni cdtB mutant was associated with significantly impaired IgG and IgG2a humoral responses (P < 0.001), which is consistent with an innate or adaptive immune system defect(s) . These results suggest that the mechanism of clearance of C . jejuni is NF-kappaB dependent and that CDT may have proinflammatory activity in vivo, as well as a potential role in the ability of C . jejuni to escape immune surveillance . NF-kappaB-deficient mice should be a useful model to further study the role of CDT and other aspects of C . jejuni pathogenesis.

Infect Immun, 2004 Feb, 72(2), 916 - 22
In vivo phase variation and serologic response to lipooligosaccharide of Campylobacter jejuni in experimental human infection; Prendergast MM et al.; Some Campylobacter jejuni strains which exhibit mimicry of gangliosides in their lipooligosaccharides (LOSs) are associated with development of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which complicates the selection of a suitable C . jejuni strain in a live-attenuated vaccine . C . jejuni 81-176 is the most well characterized strain available, but structurally, LOS of C . jejuni 81-176 exhibits mimicry of predominantly GM2 and GM3 gangliosides . We compared the antiganglioside human serologic responses of 22 volunteers post-oral vaccination (two-dose series, 14 days apart) with a killed whole-cell C . jejuni vaccine, those of volunteers (22 following initial challenge and 5 upon rechallenge) experimentally infected with the homologous C . jejuni vaccine strain 81-176, and those of 12 volunteers used as controls (placebo recipients) . All volunteers were evaluated using thin-layer chromatography immuno-overlay and a panel of nine gangliosides at days 0, 21, and 28 either postvaccination or postinoculation . Antiganglioside antibodies were identified at baseline in 6 of the 61 volunteers (9.8%) . There were no antiganglioside antibodies observed following vaccination or experimental infection rechallenge . Evidence of seroconversion was observed in 2 of 22 (9.1%) in the initial infection challenge group, comparable to 1 of 12 (8.3%) in the placebo recipients . Additional testing of seven selected volunteers in the initial challenge group at days 0, 3, 7, 10, 21, 28, and 60 showed that when antiganglioside antibodies occurred (mostly anti-GM1 and -GM2), responses were weak and transient . Furthermore, evidence from serologic probing of LOSs of isolates recovered from stools of six volunteers indicated that the isolates had undergone antigenic phase variation in ganglioside mimicry during passage in vivo . Collectively, with the exception of one volunteer with anti-GM2 antibodies at day 60, the results show an absence of persistent antiganglioside antibodies after experimental infection with C . jejuni or following administration of a killed C . jejuni whole-cell oral vaccine, although LOS phase variation occurred.

J Dairy Sci, 2003 Dec, 86(12), 3849 - 56
Microbiological quality of raw goat's and ewe's bulk-tank milk in Switzerland; Muehlherr JE et al.; A total of 407 samples of bulk-tank milk (344 of goat's milk and 63 of ewe's milk) collected from 403 different farms throughout Switzerland, was examined . The number of farms investigated in this study represents 8% of the country's dairy-goat and 15% of its dairy-sheep farms . Standard plate counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts were performed on each sample . Furthermore, the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter spp., Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Mycobacterium avium ssp . paratuberculosis was studied . The median standard plate count for bulk-tank milk from small ruminants was 4.70 log cfu/ml (4.69 log cfu/ml for goat's milk and 4.78 log cfu/ml for ewe's milk), with a minimum of 2.00 log cfu/ml and a maximum of 8.64 log cfu/ml . Enterobacteriaceae were detected in 212 (61.6%) goat's milk and 45 (71.4%) ewe's milk samples, whereas S . aureus was detected in 109 (31.7%) samples of goat's milk and 21 (33.3%) samples of ewe's milk . Campylobacter spp . and Salmonella spp . were not isolated from any of the samples . However, 16.3% of the goat's milk and 12.7% of the ewe's milk samples were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive for Shiga toxin-producing E . coli . Seventy-nine (23.0%) goat's tank-milk and 15 (23.8%) ewe's tank-milk samples were PCR-positive for insertion sequence 900, providing presumptive evidence for the presence of M . avium ssp . paratuberculosis . These results form the basis for determining the microbiological quality standards for goat's and ewe's milk . Moreover, the data presented form part of the risk assessment program for raw milk from small ruminants in Switzerland.

J Pak Med Assoc, 2003 Nov, 53(11), 517 - 20
Frequency of Campylobacter jejuni in diarrhoea/dysentery in children in Rawalpindi and Islamabad; Ali AM et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of Campylobacter jejuni infection in children suffering from diarrhoea/dysentery in the Department of Microbiology, Army Medical College and Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from 29 August 2002 to 29 November 2002 . METHODS: The study was carried out on one hundred stool samples of children up to the age of twelve years admitted with diarrhoea/dysentery in Military hospital, Rawalpindi . The samples were collected in clean polypropylene containers containing Cary Blair medium . These were transported to the Microbiology Department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi within 1-2 hours . The samples were inoculated on Modified Preston (Oxoid) and Karmali media (Oxoid) beside other routine stool culture media . The cultures were incubated at 42 degrees C under microaerophilic conditions . The growth after 48 hours was provisionally identified by colonial morphology, oxidase test, Gram staining and motility . The organisms were identified to species level by hippurate hydrolysis, urease test, nitrate reduction, catalase test, H2S production and resistance to cephalothin . RESULTS: Eighteen percent of samples yielded the growth of Campylobacter jejuni . Mean age of children with Campylobacter jejuni infection was 18 months with peak incidence from 12 to 21 months . Male female ratio was 1.7:1 . All the children had loose motions . Seven out 18 (39%) had a combination of symptoms of loose motions, vomiting and pain abdomen . Those having fever with or without other complaints constituted 11 out of 18 (61.11%) i.e . more than 50% of all the children yielding C . jejuni had fever . About 90% of diarrhoeal stools had blood and fifty percent also had mucous . There was either history of chicken meat consumption or contact with cattle and pets in most of the cases and both in some of them . CONCLUSION: Campylobacter jejuni is a frequent cause of diarrhoea/dysentery in children in our set up . In children it is often related to pets keeping and chicken meat consumption . In the remaining, untreated drinking water may be the source . Campylobacter jejuni frequently presents with blood and mucous in stools with sporadic cases presenting with watery diarrhoea.

Can J Microbiol, 2003 Nov, 49(11), 727 - 31
FeoB is not required for ferrous iron uptake in Campylobacter jejuni; Raphael BH et al.; Among strains of Campylobacter jejuni, levels of ferrous iron (Fe2+) uptake was comparable . However, C . jejuni showed a lower level of ferrous iron uptake than Escherichia coli . Consistent with studies of E . coli, Fe2+ uptake in C . jejuni was significantly enhanced by low Mg2+ concentration . The C . jejuni genome sequence contains a single known ferrous iron uptake gene, feoB, whose product shares 50% amino acid identity to Helicobacter pylori FeoB and 29% identity to E . coli FeoB . However, Fe2+ uptake could not be attributed to FeoB for several reasons . Site-directed mutations in feoB caused no defect in 55Fe2+ uptake . Among C . jejuni strains, various nucleotide alterations were found in feoB, indicating that some C . jejuni feoB genes are defective . In addition, uptake could not be attributed to the magnesium transporter CorA, since no reduction in 55Fe2+ uptake was observed in the presence of a CorA-specific inhibitor.

Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi, 2003 Sep, 41(9), 684 - 7
{Experimental study on the therapeutic mechanism of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin in treatment of immune-mediated peripheral neuropathy}; Gao YX et al.; OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic basis of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in treatment of peripheral neuropathy induced by Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharide (CJ LPS) . METHOD: (1) IVIg (400 mg/kg x d) was given to the rats on the different days respectively during the immunization with CJ LPS . Histological study of sciatic nerve was performed on the 35 th day after immunization . The titer of anti-CJ LPS antibody in sera of immunized rats was measured by ELISA; IgG deposition was detected by immunohistochemistry and expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in the pathological nerves by in situ hybridization histochemistry . (2) When PBMCs were stimulated by CJ LPS in vitro, IVIg was added into culture medium at the doses of 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/ml, respectively . Pathological examination of sciatic nerve was performed on the 7th day after perineural injection of the supernatants . Expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in PBMCs stimulated by CJ LPS in medium was detected by in situ hybridization histochemistry after adding IVIg . RESULTS: (1) The rate of abnormal fibers appearance in IVIg group (1.0%) was much lower than that of the control group (15.0%) after immunization with CJ LPS, P < 0.01 . The titer of antibody in control group was 9 times higher than that of IVIg group . There was no expression of immunoglobulin and TNF-alphamRNA in peripheral nerves in IVIg group, but high expression was found in control group in which no IVIg was injected . (2) The expression rates of TNF-alphamRNA on the PBMCs in IVIg group (1.0%) was much lower than that of control group (9.5%) . (3) When the PBMCs of normal rats were stimulated by CJ LPS, the expression rates of TNF-alphamRNA in PBMCs of 5 mg/ml IVIg group (3.0%) or 10 mg/ml IVIg group (2.0%) were much lower than that of 1 mg/ml IVIg group (15.0%) or 2.5 mg/ml IVIg group (11.5%), P < 0.01 . The rate of abnormal fibers appearance in 5 mg/ml IVIg group (9.8%) or 10 mg/ml IVIg group (8.5%) was much lower than that of 1 mg/ml IVIg group (50.0%), 2.5 mg/ml IVIg group (41.0%) or control group (50.8%) after the perineural injection with the supernatants, respectively, P < 0.01 . CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of high dose IVIg might be associated with inhibition of the humoral and cellular immunity simultaneously in peripheral neuropathy induced by CJ LPS.

Nat Struct Mol Biol, 2004 Feb, 11(2), 163 - 70 Epub 2004 Jan 18.
Structural analysis of the sialyltransferase CstII from Campylobacter jejuni in complex with a substrate analog; Chiu CP et al.; Sialic acid terminates oligosaccharide chains on mammalian and microbial cell surfaces, playing critical roles in recognition and adherence . The enzymes that transfer the sialic acid moiety from cytidine-5'-monophospho-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc) to the terminal positions of these key glycoconjugates are known as sialyltransferases . Despite their important biological roles, little is understood about the mechanism or molecular structure of these membrane-associated enzymes . We report the first structure of a sialyltransferase, that of CstII from Campylobacter jejuni, a highly prevalent foodborne pathogen . Our structural, mutagenesis and kinetic data provide support for a novel mode of substrate binding and glycosyl transfer mechanism, including essential roles of a histidine (general base) and two tyrosine residues (coordination of the phosphate leaving group) . This work provides a framework for understanding the activity of several sialyltransferases, from bacterial to human, and for the structure-based design of specific inhibitors.

Shi Yan Sheng Wu Xue Bao, 2003 Dec, 36(6), 453 - 8
{Effects of serum from a patient with acute motor axonal neuropathy on spinal motor neurons cultured in vitro}; Wu SY et al.; The effect of serum from a patient with acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) on cultured motor neurons was studied . The ventral spinal ventral tissue was isolated from embryonic rats and digested into dissociated cell suspension for culture in vitro . The cultured cells were stained with SMI-32, a non-phosphorylated neurofilment marker monoclonal antibody to identify motor neurons . The 6 days' cultured cells were exposed to the AMAN patient serum in a concentration of 25%, and to the normal human serum as the control . Positive PennerO:19 Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharide antibody in the AMAN serum used in this experiment had been testified . The serum-cultured motor neurons were observed morphologically and also stained by Guillery Shirra and Webster method . With this staining, degenerated nerve fibers were brown-black and normal nerve fibers were brown-yellow . At the 9th h after the AMAN serum exposure, the axon degenerated and was stained brown-black due to increased silver-phile property . At the 12th h, the neuron soma began to swell and nuclear deviation with silver granules depositing in the cytoplasm . At last, the neurons began to die from the 16th h of the exposure . However, the control motor neurons did not show these alterations in the same period of culture . The serum of AMAN patient may be toxic to the neurite of motor neuron and thus cause axon degeneration, then soma alterations and death followed . It is suggested that Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharide antibody may play an important role in this process without the participation of macrophages and complements.

Gastroenterology, 2003 Dec, 125(6), 1651 - 9
Relative importance of enterochromaffin cell hyperplasia, anxiety, and depression in postinfectious IBS; Dunlop SP et al.; BACKGROUND & AIMS: Both psychological and mucosal changes (increased enterochromaffin {EC} cells and T lymphocytes) have been associated with postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) . However, previous studies have been underpowered to determine the relative importance of these changes in predicting the development of PI-IBS . Our aim was to prospectively determine the relative importance of both psychological and histologic factors in the development of PI-IBS after Campylobacter infection . METHODS: Questionnaires detailing psychological and bowel symptoms were sent to 1977 patients 3 months after infection . Twenty-eight patients with new-onset PI-IBS, 28 age- and sex-matched patient controls who were asymptomatic after infection, and 34 healthy volunteers underwent rectal biopsy, which was assessed for serotonin-containing EC cells, mast cells, and lamina propria T lymphocytes . RESULTS: PI-IBS, predominantly of the diarrhea-predominant subtype, occurred in 103 of 747 (13.8%) of those infected . EC cell counts per high-power field (hpf) were higher in patients with PI-IBS (35.8 +/- 1.2) compared with patient controls (30.6 +/- 1.9; P = 0.022) and volunteers (29.1 +/- 1.8; P = 0.006) . Lamina propria T lymphocytes per hpf were higher in patients with PI-IBS (127.1 +/- 8.7) and patient controls (113.4 +/- 6.2) in contrast to healthy volunteers (97.1 +/- 5.7) (P = 0.006 and P = 0.058, respectively) . Anxiety, depression, and fatigue were significantly increased in patients with PI-IBS compared with patient controls . Multivariate analysis indicated that increased EC cell counts and depression were equally important predictors of developing PI-IBS (relative risk, 3.8 and 3.2 for each standard deviation increase in respective values) . CONCLUSIONS: Both increased EC cells and depression are important independent predictors of developing PI-IBS.

N Engl J Med, 2004 Jan 15, 350(3), 239 - 48
Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease associated with Campylobacter jejuni; Lecuit M et al.; BACKGROUND: Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (also known as alpha chain disease) is a form of lymphoma that arises in small intestinal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and is associated with the expression of a monotypic truncated immunoglobulin alpha heavy chain without an associated light chain . Early-stage disease responds to antibiotics, suggesting a bacterial origin . We attempted to identify a causative agent . METHODS: We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical studies on intestinal-biopsy specimens from a series of patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease . RESULTS: Analysis of frozen intestinal tissue obtained from an index patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease who had a dramatic response to antibiotics revealed the presence of Campylobacter jejuni . A follow-up retrospective analysis of archival intestinal-biopsy specimens disclosed campylobacter species in four of six additional patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease . CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that campylobacter and immunoproliferative small intestinal disease are associated and that C . jejuni should be added to the growing list of human pathogens responsible for immunoproliferative states .

Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi, 2003 Dec, 41(12), 934 - 9
{Damage to peripheral nerves induced by Campylobacter jejuni exotoxin}; Xie LS et al.; OBJECTIVE: To explore the pathogenesis of the damage to peripheral nerves induced by Campylobacter jejuni exotoxin (CJT) . METHODS: (1) Animal models: (1) The CJT was extracted from PEN 19-CJ and injected perineurally and intravenously to Wistar rats . (2) The sera and the supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), taken from the rats immunized with the CJT, were injected perineurally at sciatic nerves of experimental rats and intravenously, respectively . (2) Histopathologic study of sciatic nerves: the animals were sacrificed and their sciatic nerves were examined for tease fibers, transverse section with toluidine blues staining and electron microscopy . (3) Immunohistochemistry: sections of sciatic nerves of either normal rats or human which were incubated with CJT and the sciatic nerves with pathological changes induced by CJT were obtained for observation of the binding capability of CJT with peripheral nerves by SABC and FITC-immunofluorescence methods, and nucleic acid hybridization techniques for detection of TNF-alpha mRNA expression in pathological sciatic nerves samples . RESULTS: (1) Remarkable peripheral neuropathies with axon degeneration and/or demyelination were found in the nerves induced by both CJT injection perineurally and intravenously . The axon degeneration was more obvious . Pathological changes were identified in 76.8% (2,763/3,600) of teasing fibers after perineural injection, but only 9.6% (230/2,400) of fibers were damaged in control group (P < 0.01) . The peak severity of fiber damage was found on the 3rd day after CJT intravenous injection with the incidence of abnormal fibers was 19.5% (390/2,000), and abnormalities of 15.5% (310/2000) on the 14th day . However, no abnormal changes were demonstrated in control group (P < 0.01) . So was in the groups injected with anti-CJT sera and the supernatants of PBMCs compared with control (P > 0.05) . (2) Binding of CJT to the nerve was found dominant in the sciatic nerves taken from normal rats or human either incubated with CJT or in the pathological sciatic nerves induced by CJT to various degrees . The binding of CJT to all these nerves was determined . (3) After intravenous injection with CJT, no histopathologic change could be found in the other viscera of the rats, with the exception of remarkable pathological change in peripheral nerves . CONCLUSIONS: (1) CJT could remarkably damage the peripheral nerves in rats . Specific pathogenicity of CJT to peripheral nerves was well shown, because no histopathologic abnormalities could be found in the other viscera, such as brain, liver and kidney etc . although there was remarkable pathological change along the peripheral nerve in the animals . (2) No immunological pathogenicity of CJT could be demonstrated in the nerves of rats after immunization with CJT.

Anal Chem, 2004 Jan 15, 76(2), 433 - 40
Detection of campylobacter and Shigella species in food samples using an array biosensor; Sapsford KE et al.; Campylobacter and Shigella bacteria are common causes of food- and water-borne illness worldwide . There is a current need in food, medical, environmental, and military markets for a rapid and user-friendly method of detecting such pathogens . The array biosensor developed at the NRL encompasses these qualities . In this study, 25-min, sandwich immunoassays were developed for the detection of Campylobacter and Shigella species in both buffer and a variety of food and beverage samples . The limit of detection for Shigella dysenteriae in buffer and chicken carcass wash was 4.9 x 10(4) cfu mL(-)(1), whereas Campylobacter jejuni could be measured at concentrations as low as 9.7 x 10(2) cfu mL(-)(1) . The limits of detection and dynamic range were found to vary depending on the sample matrix, but could be improved by running the sample over the waveguide surface for longer periods of time . Samples were run with no preconcentration or enrichment steps and little-to-no sample pretreatment prior to analysis.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2003 Nov, 9(11), 1482 - 3
Fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter absent from isolates, Australia; Unicomb L et al.; Fluoroquinolone resistance was detected in 12 of 370 Australian human Campylobacter isolates; 10 of these were travel-associated, and for 2 isolates travel status was unknown . No resistance was found in isolates known to be locally acquired . In Australia, fluoroquinolones have not been licensed for use in food production animals, a policy that may have relevance for countries with fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2003 Nov, 9(11), 1479 - 81
Fluoroquinolone susceptibility of Campylobacter strains, Senegal; Cardinale E et al.; To assess fluoroquinolone susceptibility of Campylobacter strains in Senegal, skin samples were collected from 250 chicken carcasses from January 2001 to October 2002 . Among 205 isolated Campylobacter strains, 59% and 41% were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli, respectively; the overall ciprofloxacin-resistance rate was 34%.

Poult Sci, 2003 Dec, 82(12), 1995 - 9
Presence of Campylobacter inthe respiratory tract of broiler carcasses before and after commercial scalding; Berrang ME et al.; Campylobacter could be detected in the thoraco-abdominal cavity of broiler carcasses even if they were carefully eviscerated by hand with no evidence of intestinal rupture or leakage . If Campylobacter is present in the air sacs, which are unavoidably torn during evisceration, it could contaminate the thoraco-abdominal cavity of the eviscerated carcass . This study was done to determine if Campylobacter contamination is present in the respiratory tract of broilers prior to evisceration . Whole carcass rinses and respiratory tract washes were done on broiler carcasses collected at a commercial processing plant just before and just after scalding . Samples were cultured for presence and numbers of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria . Campylobacter isolates were subtyped by sequencing the short variable region of the flaA gene . The same subtypes of Campylobacter were detected in whole carcass rinse samples as in respiratory tract wash samples from individual broilers . Furthermore, the same numbers and subtypes of Campylobacter were recovered from respiratory tracts of carcasses collected before scalding and those collected after scalding . However, respiratory tracts of carcasses after scalding had higher numbers of E . coli, coliforms, and total aerobic bacteria than those tested before scalding . Although some bacterial counts were higher in the respiratory tracts of carcasses after scalding, Campylobacter counts were not . It appears that Campylobacter is present in the respiratory tracts of broilers as they enter processing, and contamination may be due to airborne bacteria during production or transport.

J Food Prot, 2004 Jan, 67(1), 64 - 70
Development of predictive models for the survival of Campylobacter jejuni (ATCC 43051) on cooked chicken breast patties and in broth as a function of temperature; Yoon KS et al.; The objective of this study was to model the kinetics of the survival of Campylobacter jejuni on cooked chicken breast patties and in broth as a function of temperature . Both patties and broth were inoculated with 10(6) stationary-phase cells of a single strain of C . jejuni (ATCC 43051) and incubated at constant temperatures from 4 to 30 degrees C in 2 degrees C increments under aerobic conditions . In most cases, a three-phase linear model fit the primary survival curves well (r2 = 0.97 to 0.99) at all incubation temperatures regardless of model medium, indicating the presence of a resistant subpopulation of C . jejuni that would not be eliminated without thermal processing . Secondary models predicting lag time (LT) and specific death rate (SDR) as functions of temperature were also developed . The Davey and Boltzmann models were identified as appropriate secondary models for LT and SDR, respectively, on the basis of goodness of fit (Boltzmann model, r2 = 0.96; Davey model, r2 = 0.93) and prediction bias and accuracy factor tests . The results obtained indicate that C . jejuni can survive well at both refrigeration and ambient temperatures regardless of model medium . Reduced survival of C . jejuni, characterized by shorter lag times and faster death rates, was observed both on patties and in broth at ambient temperatures . In addition, the average maximum reduction of C . jejuni at 4 to 30 degrees C was 1.5 log units regardless of storage temperature or model medium . These findings suggest that C . jejuni found on contaminated poultry products has the potential to survive under conditions that are not permissive for growth and thus could cause foodborne illness if the poultry is not sufficiently cooked.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 2003 Nov-Dec, (6), 86 - 8
{Experience in the use of a new test system for the rapid indication of the causative agents of campylobacter infection under the conditions of an emergency situation}; Alieva EV; A new test system on the basis of magnetoimmunosorbents for the rapid indication of capmpylobacteriosis has been developed . Information on its use under the conditions of emergency situations is presented . Good prospects of this new test system in the study of environmental objects have been demonstrated.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Jan, 42(1), 311 - 9
Serotypes, virulence genes, and intimin types of Shiga toxin (verotoxin)-producing Escherichia coli isolates from human patients: prevalence in Lugo, Spain, from 1992 through 1999; Blanco JE et al.; We have analyzed the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in stool specimens of patients with diarrhea or other gastrointestinal alterations from the Xeral-Calde Hospital of Lugo City (Spain) . STEC strains were detected in 126 (2.5%) of 5,054 cases investigated, with a progressive increase in the incidence from 0% in 1992 to 4.4% in 1999 . STEC O157:H7 was isolated in 24 cases (0.5%), whereas non-O157 STEC strains were isolated from 87 patients (1.7%) . STEC strains were (after Salmonella and Campylobacter strains) the third most frequently recovered enteropathogenic bacteria . A total of 126 human STEC isolates were characterized in this study . PCR showed that 43 (34%) isolates carried stx(1) genes, 45 (36%) possessed stx(2) genes and 38 (30%) carried both stx(1) and stx(2) . A total of 88 (70%) isolates carried an ehxA enterohemolysin gene, and 70 (56%) isolates possessed an eae intimin gene (27 isolates with type gamma1, 20 with type beta1, 8 with type zeta, 5 with type gamma2, and 3 with type epsilon) . STEC isolates belonged to 41 O serogroups and 66 O:H serotypes, including 21 serotypes associated with hemolytic uremic syndrome and 30 new serotypes not previously reported among human STEC strains in other studies . Although the 126 STEC isolates belonged to 81 different seropathotypes (associations between serotypes and virulence genes), only four accounted for 31% of isolates . Seropathotype O157:H7 stx(1) stx(2) eae-gamma1 ehxA was the most common (13 isolates) followed by O157:H7 stx(2) eae-gamma1 ehxA (11 isolates), O26:H11 stx(1) eae-beta1 ehxA (11 isolates), and O111:H- stx(1) stx(2) eae-gamma2 ehxA (4 isolates) . Our results suggest that STEC strains are a significant cause of human infections in Spain and confirm that in continental Europe, infections caused by STEC non-O157 strains are more common than those caused by O157:H7 isolates . The high prevalence of STEC strains (both O157:H7 and non-O157 strains) in human patients, and their association with serious complications, strongly supports the utilization of protocols for detection of all serotypes of STEC in Spanish clinical microbiology laboratories.

J Clin Microbiol, 2004 Jan, 42(1), 229 - 35
Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism genotyping of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains and its relationship with host specificity, serotyping, and phage typing; Hopkins KL et al.; Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) analysis was applied to 276 Campylobacter jejuni strains and 87 Campylobacter coli strains isolated from humans, pigs, cattle, poultry, and retail meats to investigate whether certain FAFLP genotypes of C . jejuni and C . coli are associated with a particular host and to determine the degree of association between FAFLP-defined genotypes and heat-stable serotypes and/or phage types . Within C . coli, the poultry strains clustered separately from those of porcine origin . In contrast, no evidence of host specificity was detected among C . jejuni strains . While C . coli strains show host specificity by FAFLP genotyping, C . jejuni strains that are genotypically similar appear to colonize a range of hosts, rather than being host adapted . Some serotypes and/or phage types (C . jejuni serotype HS18, phage type PT6, and serophage type HS19/PT2 and C . coli HS66, PT2, and HS56/PT2) were the most homogeneous by FAFLP genotyping, while others were more heterogeneous (C . jejuni HS5 and PT39, and C . coli HS24 and PT44) and therefore poor indicators of genetic relatedness between strains . The lack of host specificity in C . jejuni suggests that tracing the source of infection during epidemiological investigations will continue to be difficult . The lack of congruence between some serotypes and/or phage types and FAFLP genotype underlines the need for phenotypic testing to be supplemented by genotyping . This study also demonstrates how, in general, FAFLP generates "anonymous" genetic markers for strain characterization and epidemiological investigation of Campylobacter in the food chain.

Arch Microbiol, 2004 Feb, 181(2), 89 - 96 Epub 2004 Jan 09.
Genomics of the ccoNOQP-encoded cbb3 oxidase complex in bacteria; Cosseau C et al.; Many bacteria adapt to microoxic conditions by synthesizing a particular cytochrome c oxidase (cbb3) complex with a high affinity for O2, encoded by the ccoNOQP operon . A survey of genome databases indicates that ccoNOQP sequences are widespread in all sub-branches of Proteobacteria but otherwise are found only in bacteria of the CFB group ( Cytophaga, Flexibacter, Bacteroides) . Our analysis of available genome sequences suggests four major strategies of regulating ccoNOQP expression in response to O2 . The most widespread strategy involves direct regulation by the O2-responsive protein Fnr . The second strategy involves an O2-insensitive paralogue of Fnr, FixK, whose expression is regulated by the O2-responding FixLJ two-component system . A third strategy of mixed regulation operates in bacteria carrying both fnr and fixLJ-fixKgenes . Another, not yet identified, strategy is likely to operate in the epsilon-Proteobacteria Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni which lack fnr and fixLJ-fixK genes . The FixLJ strategy appears specific for the alpha-subclass of Proteobacteria but is not restricted to rhizobia in which it was originally discovered.

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen, 2003 Dec 4, 123(23), 3410 - 3
{Water-borne disease outbreaks in Norway}; Nygard K et al.; BACKGROUND: The drinking water in Norway has traditionally been considered being of good quality . However, outbreaks related to drinking water are reported every year . We review waterborne outbreaks in Norway over the last 15 years, and describe the aetiology of and contributory factors in these outbreaks . MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compiled data on waterborne outbreaks reported to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Norwegian Food Control Authority during 1988-2002 . We included all events in which two or more people fell ill and water was the suspected source of infection . RESULTS: Over the 15-year period . 72 outbreaks were reported, affecting a total of 10 616 persons . Campylobacter was the cause in 26% (19/72) of the outbreaks, norovirus in 18% (13/72) . The causative organism was unknown in 46% (33/72) . The water came from public waterworks in 32 of the 54 outbreaks for which this information was available (59%); from a private supply in the remaining 22 . For 62% (16/26) of the outbreaks related to waterworks, the water was not disinfected before distribution . None of the private water supplies were disinfected . Over the last five years, there were more outbreaks related to private supplies . INTERPRETATION: The most important contributory factor to waterborne outbreaks in Norway is contamination of the raw water combined with missing or faulty disinfecting procedures . To prevent future outbreaks, a continuous upgrading of small and private water supplies is needed . Reporting of outbreaks is important for the implementation of targeted and effective preventive measures.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2004 Jan, 70(1), 152 - 8
Detection of Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium by using a rapid, array-based immunosensor; Taitt CR et al.; The multianalyte array biosensor (MAAB) is a rapid analysis instrument capable of detecting multiple analytes simultaneously . Rapid (15-min), single-analyte sandwich immunoassays were developed for the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, with a detection limit of 8 x 10(4) CFU/ml; the limit of detection was improved 10-fold by lengthening the assay protocol to 1 h . S . enterica serovar Typhimurium was also detected in the following spiked foodstuffs, with minimal sample preparation: sausage, cantaloupe, whole liquid egg, alfalfa sprouts, and chicken carcass rinse . Cross-reactivity tests were performed with Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuni . To determine whether the MAAB has potential as a screening tool for the diagnosis of asymptomatic Salmonella infection of poultry, chicken excretal samples from a private, noncommercial farm and from university poultry facilities were tested . While the private farm excreta gave rise to signals significantly above the buffer blanks, none of the university samples tested positive for S . enterica serovar Typhimurium without spiking; dose-response curves of spiked excretal samples from university-raised poultry gave limits of detection of 8 x 10(3) CFU/g.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 2003 Dec, 47(4), 601 - 8
Antimicrobial susceptibility trends in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from a rural Egyptian pediatric population with diarrhea; Putnam SD et al.; Comparative and trend analysis was conducted on annual prevalence of antimicrobial susceptibility among Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli recovered from rural Egyptian children from 1995 through 2000 . C . jejuni and C . coli demonstrated significant decreasing trends in ciprofloxacin susceptibility over the study period (p < 0.001 for both) . In general, C . coli demonstrated a higher degree of susceptibility than C . jejuni, however, there was no statistical difference (p = 0.2) comparing the linear trends over the duration of the study . There was no indication of frank macrolide (erythromycin or azithromycin) resistance among any Campylobacter . Moreover, there were statistically significant positive trends in both the MIC(50) and MIC(90) values for the erythromycin and azithromycin during the study period, suggesting a possible decreasing trend in susceptibility among Campylobacter . This study demonstrated that antimicrobial susceptibility in Campylobacter has significantly decreased from 1995 through 2000 among pediatric diarrhea cases in rural Egypt.

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis, 2003 Dec, 47(4), 551 - 6
Laribacter hongkongensis: a potential cause of infectious diarrhea; Woo PC et al.; In this study, we describe the isolation of Laribacter hongkongensis, a recently described genus and species of bacterium, in pure culture on charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar from the stool of six patients with diarrhea . Three patients were residents of Hong Kong, and three of Switzerland . In none of the stool samples obtained from these six patients was Salmonella, Shigella, enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, or Campylobacter recovered . Rotavirus antigen detection, electron microscopic examination for viruses, and microscopic examinations for ova and cysts were all negative for the stool samples obtained from the three patients in Hong Kong . Enterotoxigenic E . coli was recovered from one of the patients in Hong Kong . Unlike L . hongkongensis type strain HKU1, all the six strains were motile with bipolar flagellae . Sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA genes of the six strains showed that they all had sequences with only 0-2 base differences to that of the type strain . Pulsed field gel electrophoresis of the SpeI digested genomic DNA of the six isolates and that of the type strain revealed that the seven isolates were genotypically unrelated strains . More extensive epidemiologic studies should be carried out to ascertain the causative association between L . hongkongensis and diarrhea and to define the reservoir and modes of transmission of L . hongkongensis.

Avian Dis, 2003 Oct-Dec, 47(4), 1429 - 33
Cecal colonization of chicks by bovine-derived strains of Campylobacter; Ziprin RL et al.; Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains were isolated from feces of dairy cattle at farms with no known problem due to campylobacteria . Farms were located in the northeast, desert southwest, and Pacific west . Twenty isolates were identified by ribotyping with a RiboPrinter . The ability of these bovine isolates to colonize the ceca of chicks was determined by challenge inoculation and reisolation of the challenge strain from the ceca at 1 and 2 wk after challenge . Isolates recovered from chick ceca were examined by ribotyping to assure they matched the challenge strain . One hundred percent of the bovine-derived challenge strains were capable of colonizing chicks . These results indicate that dairy cattle may be asymptomatic Campylobacter carriers and potential sources of campylobacteria contamination of poultry facilities.

J Neurol Sci, 2004 Feb 15, 217(2), 225 - 8
Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis associated with IgM antibodies to GM1b and GalNAc-GD1a; Matsuo M et al.; This is the first report of a case of Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) associated with IgM antibodies to GM1b and GalNAc-GD1a . Subsequent to Campylobacter jejuni enteritis, the patient rapidly developed consciousness disturbance and hyperreflexia in addition to external ophthalmoplegia and cerebellar-like ataxia . EEG showed transient 7 Hz monorhythmic theta activities, predominantly in the front-central area . He received high doses of immunoglobulin intravenously and had completely recovered 3 months later . High anti-GM1b and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgM antibody titers present during the acute phase decreased with his clinical improvement . An absorption study showed the anti-GM1b and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgM antibodies to be cross-reactive . Anti-GM1b and anti-GalNAc-GD1a antibodies have been detected in some patients who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome after C . jejuni enteritis, whereas the anti-GQ1b IgG antibody is associated with BBE . Infection by C . jejuni bearing a GM1b-like or GalNAc-GD1a-like lipooligosaccharide may trigger the production of anti-GalNAc-GD1a and anti-GM1b IgM antibodies . It is not clear why our patient developed BBE rather than Guillain-Barre syndrome . These antibodies may, however, prove useful serological markers for identifying BBE patients who do not have the anti-GQ1b IgG antibody.

J Bacteriol, 2004 Jan, 186(2), 503 - 17
The genome-sequenced variant of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 and the original clonal clinical isolate differ markedly in colonization, gene expression, and virulence-associated phenotypes; Gaynor EC et al.; The genome sequence of the enteric bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 (11168-GS) was published in 2000, providing a valuable resource for the identification of C . jejuni-specific colonization and virulence factors . Surprisingly, the 11168-GS clone was subsequently found to colonize 1-day-old chicks following oral challenge very poorly compared to other strains . In contrast, we have found that the original clinical isolate from which 11168-GS was derived, 11168-O, is an excellent colonizer of chicks . Other marked phenotypic differences were also identified: 11168-O invaded and translocated through tissue culture cells far more efficiently and rapidly than 11168-GS, was significantly more motile, and displayed a different morphology . Serotyping, multiple high-resolution molecular genotyping procedures, and subtractive hybridization did not yield observable genetic differences between the variants, suggesting that they are clonal . However, microarray transcriptional profiling of these strains under microaerobic and severely oxygen-limited conditions revealed dramatic expression differences for several gene families . Many of the differences were in respiration and metabolism genes and operons, suggesting that adaptation to different oxygen tensions may influence colonization potential . This correlates biologically with our observation that anaerobically priming 11168-GS or aerobically passaging 11168-O caused an increase or decrease, respectively, in colonization compared to the parent strain . Expression differences were also observed for several flagellar genes and other less well-characterized genes that may participate in motility . Targeted sequencing of the sigma factors revealed specific DNA differences undetected by the other genomic methods {corrected}.

J Neuroimmunol, 2004 Jan, 146(1-2), 63 - 75
Induction of human IgM and IgG anti-GM1 antibodies in transgenic mice in response to lipopolysaccharides from Campylobacter jejuni; Lee G et al.; Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are implicated in the development of autoantibodies to GM1 ganglioside in patients with neuropathy following C . jejuni infection . CjLPS bears oligosaccharides that are cross reactive with GM1 ganglioside and presumably exerts its effects via molecular mimicry . To study the mechanisms that are involved in development of the autoantibody response, a transgenic mouse line was developed that expresses an IgM anti-GM1 antibody derived from a patient with multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) . In vivo stimulation of the transgenic mice with C . jejuni lipopolysaccharides (CjLPS), but not of wild-type mice readily elicited high serum titers of anti-GM1 IgM antibodies, followed by IgG anti-GM1 antibodies after two booster injections . In in vitro experiments, CjLPS stimulated the transgenic B-cells at lower concentration than control LPS . The increased sensitivity to CjLPS and the induction of IgG anti-GM1 by CjLPS but not control LPS are consistent with a mechanism of B-cell activation that involves both the LPS and the antigen-specific surface Ig receptors, with possible participation of T-cells.

J Infect Chemother, 2003 Dec, 9(4), 344 - 7
Isolation of Helicobacter cinaedi from blood of an immunocompromised patient in Japan; Murakami H et al.; We report the isolation of Helicobacter cinaedi (previously called " Campylobacter-like organism") from the blood of an immunosuppressed Japanese patient receiving immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation . The identification of H . cinaedi was based on the findings of microscopic examinations, biochemical properties, and 16S rRNA gene nucleotide sequences . H . cinaedi bacteremia should be considered as one of the critical infectious diseases in immunocompromised patients, and the sequencing of 16S rRNA may be a useful method to confirm the identification of this organism.

Infect Immun, 2004 Jan, 72(1), 260 - 8
L-serine catabolism via an oxygen-labile L-serine dehydratase is essential for colonization of the avian gut by Campylobacter jejuni; Velayudhan J et al.; Campylobacter jejuni is a microaerophilic, asaccharolytic bacterium . The identity of the carbon and energy sources used by C . jejuni in vivo is unknown, but the genome sequence of strain NCTC11168 indicates the presence of genes for catabolism of a limited range of amino acids, including serine . Specific omission of L-serine from a defined medium containing a mixture of amino acids led to a dramatic decrease in cell yields . As C . jejuni does not have a biosynthetic serine requirement, this supports earlier suggestions that L-serine is a preferentially catabolized amino acid . Serine transport was found to be mediated by at least two systems in strain 11168; a high-capacity, low-affinity L-serine-specific system encoded by Cj1625c (sdaC) and a higher-affinity L-serine/L-threonine system responsible for residual L-serine transport in an sdaC mutant . Catabolism of L-serine to pyruvate and ammonia is carried out by SdaA (encoded by Cj1624c), which was overexpressed, purified, and shown to be an oxygen-labile iron-sulfur enzyme . L-Serine dehydratase activity in an sdaA mutant was reduced 10-fold compared to that in the wild type, but the residual activity (due to the anabolic L-threonine dehydratase) could not support either growth on or utilization of L-serine in defined media . However, although sdaA mutants showed no obvious growth defect in complex media, they completely failed to colonize 3-week-old chickens as assayed both by cloacal swabs taken over a 6-week period and by cecal colony counts postmortem . In contrast, the isogenic parent strain colonized chickens to high levels within 1 week of inoculation . The results show that an active SdaA is essential for colonization of the avian gut by C . jejuni and imply that catabolism of L-serine is crucially important for the growth of this bacterium in vivo.

Lett Appl Microbiol, 2004, 38(1), 66 - 71
Chicken juice, a food-based model system suitable to study survival of Campylobacter jejuni; Birk T et al.; AIMS: The purpose of this study was to develop a food-based model system that resembles the environment that Campylobacter jejuni experiences on raw poultry products and use this model system to investigate growth and survival of the bacterium . METHODS AND RESULTS: Chicken juice was collected from frozen chickens and subsequently cleared by centrifugation and subjected to sterile filtration . At low temperatures (5 and 10 degrees C) C . jejuni NCTC11168 remained viable in chicken juice for a remarkably longer period of time than in the reference medium BHI . When exposed to heat stress (48 degrees C) C . jejuni NCTC11168 also showed increased viability in chicken juice compared with the reference medium . Furthermore, agar plates made with chicken juice supported growth of four clinical isolates of C . jejuni and a C . jejuni strain obtained from chicken at both 37 and 42 degrees C . CONCLUSIONS: Our work shows that minimal processed and sterilized chicken juice is an ideal environment for survival of C . jejuni and that it is useful as a food-based model system . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The developed model system may contribute to the understanding of C . jejuni viability on poultry products and can be instrumental in the development of alternative preservation strategies.

J Pediatr (Rio J), 1999 Mar-Apr, 75(2), 97 - 104
{Acute diarrhea in children less than 3 years of age: Enteropathogens isolated in patient's stools, compared with a control group}; Toporovski MS et al.; OBJECTIVES: To observe the occurrence of different etiological agents of acute diarrhea (AD) in stool specimens of patients and children in a control group . MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 children less than three years of age with AD were studied as well as 100 controls, between November 1993 and May 1994 . Stool specimens were collected in both groups and the following enteropathogens were searched for: Rotavirus, Escherichia coli (EPEC, ETEC, EIEC, EHEC), Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Cryptosporidium sp, Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica . Statistical analysis using the exact Fisher test (at significance level p<0,05) was done . The mean age was 12,5 months, with more cases in patients less than 6 months (35%) . Children were seen at the emergency section on an average fifth day after the start of the diarrhea . Most came from homes with basical sanitary conditions . Watery diarrhea was more frequent than bloody diarrhea with mucus, at a proportion of 4:1 . RESULTS: Rotavirus was the most frequent agent: 21% in the AD group and 3% in the control group (p= 0,0001) . Shigella sp was isolated in 7% of the AD group and none of the control group (p= 0,0140) . EPEC was detected in 13% of AD cases and 7% in the control group (p= 0,2381) but the classical subgroups O55, O111, O119 were only isolated from the patients with AD . The other enteropathogens were infrequently detected or in equal proportion in both groups . Rotavirus and EPEC were the more frequently isolated agents in watery diarrhea, while Shigella sp was the predominant agent found in bloody stools with mucus . CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus was the most common causative agent in AD . The detection of Rotavirus and Shigella sp nearly exclusively in patients with AD confirms the high patogenicity of these etiological agents when compared to the others . Escherichia coli (EPEC) diagnosed by polyvalent sera does not confirm its respective diarrheogenic property due to isolation in the same proportion among patients with AD and controls . Monovalent antisera made possible the detection of classical subgroups of EPEC O111, O119, O55 isolated only from AD patients, confirming the already known high patogenicity of these strains.

Euro Surveill, 2003 Nov, 8(11), 219 - 22
The 11th international workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter and related Organisms (CHRO), 2001; Takkinen J et al.; Over 700 participants from 54 countries attended the eleventh Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms (CHRO) meeting in September 2001 . This meeting was an opportunity to update and better understand the microbiological and epidemiological complexities of Campylobacter . The mechanism of pathogenesis of this bacteria is not yet fully understood and important progress was made in the microbiological characterisation . The availability of over 100 different strain characteristics from various locations all over Europe, brought together by Campynet, is an invaluable tool for achieving this aim . There is increasing evidence to suggest that different risk factors exist for different species of Campylobacter . The link between antibiotic use in farm animals and increased resistance to some antimicrobials for humans still needs to be proved and some contradictory results reported on this issue.

Euro Surveill . 2003 Nov;8(11):218.
Surveillance of human Campylobacter infections in France--part 2--implementation of national surveillance; Gallay A et al.; In 2001, one year after the study of microbiological laboratories that showed the feasibility of a surveillance of Campylobacter infections, 1389 private laboratories were asked whether they would be willing to participate . The high proportion of positive responses (48%, 661) allowed the implementation on 1 April 2002 of surveillance of human Campylobacter infections.

Euro Surveill, 2003 Nov, 8(11), 213 - 7
Surveillance of human Campylobacter infections in France--part 1--which data? A study of microbiological laboratories, 2000; Gallay A et al.; The frequency of Campylobacter infections in humans, their potential severity, and the existence of preventive measures justify the implementation of a surveillance system for these infections . Before the implementation of the surveillance system, a survey of the Campylobacter diagnostic practices in the laboratories was performed . In the laboratories that responded, most investigated for Campylobacter at least once in 1999 . Identification of the Campylobacter species was carried out by 86% of hospital laboratories and 37% of private laboratories . Antibiotic sensitivity tests were carried out by 75% and 32% of them respectively . Many laboratories test for Campylobacter in stool samples using comparable methods showing the feasibility of a surveillance system.

Euro Surveill, 2003 Nov, 8(11), 207 - 13
European survey on Campylobacter surveillance and diagnosis 2001; Takkinen J et al.; Two surveys have been conducted on behalf of the Campylobacter Working Group with the aim of assessing the feasibility of a European network on human Campylobacter infections . The first survey, conducted in 18 countries, collected information about diagnostic methods used for surveillance purpose while the second one, conducted among 10 European countries, gathered data on diagnostic methods and procedures in primary laboratories . Seventeen of the 18 countries had a surveillance system for Campylobacter infections and 13 a national reference laboratory . The case definition used for the surveillance in all these countries included laboratory confirmation . No commonly applicable subtyping methods were applied . Concerning primary laboratories dealing with Campylobacter infections, only a few of them reported directly to the national level, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by about half of the laboratories . These surveys indicated that a basic infrastructure for a wide European Campylobacter surveillance exists.

Gut, 2004 Jan, 53(1), 58 - 61
A novel method for rapidly diagnosing the causes of diarrhoea; Probert CS et al.; BACKGROUND: The microbiological diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea may take several days using conventional techniques . In order to determine whether flatus can be used to make a rapid diagnosis, the volatile organic compounds associated with diarrhoea were analysed . METHODS: Stool samples were collected from 35 patients with infectious diarrhoea and from six healthy controls . Gaseous compounds were extracted from a headspace using solid phase microextraction and analysed using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy . RESULTS: Characteristic patterns of volatile gases were found for the main causes of infectious diarrhoea in hospitals . Furan species without indoles indicated Clostridium difficile, ethyl dodecanoate indicated rotavirus, ammonia without ethyl dodecanoate suggested other enteric viruses, and the absence of hydrocarbons and terpenes indicated Campylobacter infection . CONCLUSION: These results could be the basis of rapid near patient diagnosis of infectious diarrhoea.

Nucleic Acids Res, 2004 Jan 1, 32 Database issue, D296 - 9
coliBASE: an online database for Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella comparative genomics; Chaudhuri RR et al.; We have constructed coliBASE, a database for Escherichia coli, Shigella and Salmonella comparative genomics available online at bham.ac.uk . Unlike other E.coli databases, which focus on the laboratory model strain K12, coliBASE is intended to reflect the full diversity of E.coli and its relatives . The database contains comparative data including whole genome alignments and lists of putative orthologous genes, together with numerous analytical tools and links to existing online resources . The data are stored in a relational database, accessible by a number of user-friendly search methods and graphical browsers . The database schema is generic and can easily be applied to other bacterial genomes . Two such databases, CampyDB (for the analysis of Campylobacter spp.) and ClostriDB (for Clostridium spp.) are also available at and bham.ac.uk, respectively . An example of the power of E.coli comparative analyses such as those available through coliBASE is presented.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2003 Dec 12, 229(2), 237 - 41
Applicability of a rapid duplex real-time PCR assay for speciation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli directly from culture plates; Best EL et al.; A rapid duplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for speciation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli using the ABI Prism 7700 sequence detection system (Applied Biosystems) was developed based on two of the genes used in a conventional multiplex PCR . A rapid turnaround time of 3 h was achieved with the use of boiled cell lysates . Applicability of the assay was tested with 6015 random campylobacter strains referred to the Campylobacter Reference Unit, with 97.6% being identified as either C . jejuni or C . coli by this technique . Rapidity, combined with specificity and sensitivity, makes this method for routine campylobacter speciation attractive to any laboratory with a Taqman system.

Expert Opin Pharmacother, 2004 Jan, 5(1), 61 - 70
Management of reactive arthritis; Palazzi C et al.; Reactive arthritis (ReA) is an aseptic form of articular inflammation induced by infections mainly localised in the gastrointestinal (enteroarthritis) or urogenital (uroarthritis) tracts . The bacteria principally involved as causative agents are Chlamydia, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter and Yersinia . The clinical picture is usually characterised by a mono-oligoarthritis of the lower limbs . Axial involvement is possible and extra-articular manifestations such as enthesitis, tenosynovitis, bursitis and dactylitis are frequent . NSAIDs and sulfasalazine are still the drugs most commonly used in the treatment of ReA . Steroids are administered when inflammatory symptoms are resistant to NSAIDs . Experiences with other DMARDs (disease modifying antirheumatic drugs) such as azathioprine, methotrexate and cyclosporin, have been sporadically reported and they can be employed in patients that are unresponsive to the more usual medicaments . The intake of antibacterials (tetracyclines) may be useful in uroarthritis but have not been so successful in enteroarthrits . In more aggressive cases, or when ReA evolves towards ankylosing spondylitis, TNF-alpha blockers could represent an effective choice.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2004 Jan 1, 90(1), 43 - 50
Antagonistic activities of several bacteria on in vitro growth of 10 strains of Campylobacter jejuni/coli; Chaveerach P et al.; Chicken meat contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni can be the source of human enteritis . To decrease the risk of human infection, Campylobacter should be controlled at farm levels . Orally given probiotic bacteria could prevent colonisation of chicken with pathogenic bacteria like Campylobacter . The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different bacteria on Campylobacter growth . Our results demonstrated that bacteria isolated from conventional chicken had potential inhibitory activities against Campylobacter . Other bacteria not isolated from chickens but with known antagonistic capacities, e.g . Enterococcus (56 strains) and Escherichia coli (20 strains), did not show any negative effect on Campylobacter . Interestingly, one Lactobacillus (P93) strain isolated from the chicken gut showed bactericidal activity against all tested Campylobacter . The bactericidal effect was characterised as the production of organic acids in combination with probably production of an anti-Campylobacter protein . In a co-culture study of Campylobacter and Lactobacillus (P93), the culturability of Campylobacter was under the detection limit after 48 h of incubation . A chicken experiment is needed to further evaluate the effect of the promising probiotic bacteria against Campylobacter colonisation in chicken.

J Food Prot, 2003 Dec, 66(12), 2231 - 6
Transfer of Salmonella and Campylobacter from stainless steel to romaine lettuce; Moore CM et al.; The degree of transfer of Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was evaluated from a stainless steel contact surface to a ready-to-eat food (lettuce) . Stainless steel coupons (25 cm2) were inoculated with a 20-microl drop of either C . jejuni or Salmonella Typhimurium to provide an inoculum level of approximately 10(6) CFU/28 mm2 . Wet and dry lettuce (Lactuca sativa var . longifolia) pieces (9 cm2) were placed onto the inoculated stainless steel surface for 10 s after the designated inoculum drying time (0 to 80 min for C . jejuni; 0 to 120 min for Salmonella Typhimurium), which was followed by the recovery and enumeration of transferred pathogens (lettuce) and residual surface pathogens (stainless steel coupons) . For transfers of Salmonella Typhimurium to dry lettuce, there was an increase from 36 to 66% in the percent transfer of the initial inoculum load during the first 60 min of sampling and then a precipitous drop from 66 to 6% in percent transfer . The transfer of Salmonella Typhimurium to wet lettuce ranged from 23 to 31%, with no statistically significant difference between recoveries over the entire 120-min sampling period . For C . jejuni, the mean percent transfer ranged from 16 to 38% for dry lettuce and from 15 to 27% for wet lettuce during the 80-min sampling period . The results of this study indicate that relatively high numbers of bacteria may be transferred to a food even 1 to 2 h after surface contamination . These findings can be used to support future projects aimed at estimating the degree of risk associated with poor handling practices of ready-to-eat foods.

J Food Prot, 2003 Dec, 66(12), 2222 - 30
Direct microscopic observation and viability determination of Campylobacter jejuni on chicken skin; Chantarapanont W et al.; A method was developed to determine the survival of Campylobacter jejuni at specific sites on chicken skin, and this method was used to observe the survival of C . jejuni at various locations on the skin during storage . This method uses confocal scanning laser microscopy to visualize C . jejuni transformed with P(c)gfp plasmid (GFP-Campylobacter) and stained with 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) . The green fluorescence of dead C . jejuni cells and the red fluorescent CTC-formazan in viable Campylobacter cells were clearly visible on chicken skin . The GFP-Campylobacter remaining on the chicken skin surface after rinsing was mostly located in crevices, entrapped inside feather follicles with water, and entrapped in the surface water layer . Most viable cells were entrapped with water in the skin crevices and feather follicles . These sites provide a suitable microenvironment for GFP-Campylobacter to survive . The population of C . jejuni on chicken skin decreased by 1 log unit during storage at 25 degrees C for 24 h . C . jejuni located in sites 20 to 30 microm beneath the chicken skin surface maintained viability during incubation at 25 degrees C . C . jejuni on chicken skin stored at 4 degrees C maintained constant numbers during a 72-h incubation with no significant changes in population feather follicles or crevices . Live and dead cells were initially retained with water on the skin and penetrated into the skin follicles and channels during storage . Microscopic observations of GFP-producing cells allowed the identification of survival niches for C . jejuni present on chicken skin.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi, 2003 Nov, 77(11), 944 - 7
Risk of acquiring zoonoses by the staff of companion-animal hospitals; Asano K et al.; The aim of this study was to obtain information on the risk of companion-animal hospital staff members acquiring zoonotic diseases . We surveyed veterinary technicians to estimate the rate of acquisition of zoonoses from pets while working in companion-animal hospitals . About one in five veterinary technicians (19.4%) reported acquiring zoonotic infections in their small-animal practice . The rate of acquisition of zoonoses by those who had worked for more than 5 years was significantly higher than by those who had worked for less than 1 year (p < 0.001, odds ratio: 6.74) . The list of zoonoses included the flea bites (62.3%), dermatophytosis (26.9%), cat-scratch disease (16.0%), tick bites (9.0%), and pasturellosis (6.1%) . A small number of veterinary technicians had been infected with Q fever, toxoplasmosis, parrot fever, salmonellosis, tetanus, campylobacteriosis, or scabies.

Curr Microbiol, 2003 Nov, 47(5), 364 - 71
Comparison of three methods for epidemiological typing of Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli; Ono K et al.; A total of 168 Campylobacter strains (154 C . jejuni and 14 C . coli) isolated from human clinical samples and chicken meat were typed using Penner serotyping, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with four restriction enzymes (Sac II, Sal I, Sma I, Kpn I) . The 168 strains were found to represent 13 different Penner-types and 72 different RAPD-types . However, the discriminatory potential of PFGE was dependent on the restriction enzymes used . The 168 strains were divided into 74 (Sac II), 73 (Sal I), 72 (Sma I) and 69 (Kpn I) types . The DNA of some strains was not digested by Sal I, Sma I and Kpn I . Although three RAPD-types were further subdivided by PFGE, RAPD showed good discriminatory power and a high level of agreement with PFGE patterns in terms of strain differentiation . To compare the similarities of PFGE patterns (Sac II) among the strains, a dendrogram was constructed based on the unweighted pair group method with averages (UPGMA) . In most cases, DNA types of C . coli were different from those of C . jejuni . The similarities between human and meat isolates were less than 0.42 except for one outbreak in which the isolates from both patients and chicken meat showed the same DNA types.

Microbiology, 2003 Dec, 149(Pt 12), 3603 - 15
Variation of the natural transformation frequency of Campylobacter jejuni in liquid shake culture; Wilson DL et al.; Natural transformation, a mechanism that generates genetic diversity in Campylobacter jejuni, was studied in a novel liquid shake culturing system that allowed an approximately 10 000-fold increase in cell density . C . jejuni transformation frequency was analysed in this system under 10 %, 5.0 % and 0.7 % CO(2) atmospheres . At 5.0 % and 10 % CO(2) concentrations, when purified isogenic chromosomal DNA was used to assess competence, transformation frequency ranged from 10(-3) to 10(-4) at low cell concentrations and declined as cell density increased . Transformation frequency under a 0.7 % CO(2) atmosphere was more stable, maintaining 10(-3) levels at high cell densities, and was 10- to 100-fold higher than that under a 10 % CO(2) atmosphere . Three of four C . jejuni strains tested under a 5.0 % CO(2) atmosphere were naturally competent for isogenic DNA; competent strains demonstrated a lack of barriers to intraspecies genetic exchange by taking up and incorporating chromosomal DNA from multiple C . jejuni donors . C . jejuni showed a preference for its own DNA at the species level, and co-cultivation demonstrated that DNA transfer via natural transformation occurred between isogenic populations during short periods of exposure in liquid medium when cell density and presumably DNA concentrations were low . Transformation frequency during co-cultivation of isogenic populations was also influenced by CO(2) concentration . Under a 0.7 % CO(2) atmosphere, co-cultivation transformation frequency increased approximately 500-fold in a linear fashion with regard to cell density, and was 1000- to 10 000-fold higher during late-exponential-phase growth when compared to cultures grown under a 10 % CO(2) atmosphere.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 41(12), 5593 - 7
Molecular evidence for dissemination of unique Campylobacter jejuni clones in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; Duim B et al.; Campylobacter jejuni isolates (n = 234) associated with gastroenteritis and the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) in the island of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, and collected from March 1999 to March 2000 were investigated by a range of molecular typing techniques . Data obtained by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), automated ribotyping, and sequence analysis of the short variable region of the flagellin gene (flaA) were analyzed separately and in combination . Similar groupings were obtained by all methods, with the data obtained by MLST and AFLP analysis exhibiting the highest degree of congruency . MLST identified 29 sequence types, which were assigned to 10 major clonal complexes . PFGE, AFLP analysis, and ribotyping identified 10, 9, and 8 of these clonal groups, respectively; however, these three techniques permitted subdivision of the clonal groups into more different types . Members of seven clonal groups comprising 107 isolates were obtained from November 1999 to February 2000, and no distinguishing characteristics were identified for two GBS-associated strains . The sequence type 41 (ST-41), ST-508, and ST-657 clonal complexes and their corresponding AFLP types have been rare or absent in the Campylobacter data sets described to date . We conclude that several clonal complexes of C . jejuni are associated with human disease in Curacao, and some of these have not been reported elsewhere . Furthermore, given the observation that C . jejuni-associated diseases appear to be more severe from November to February, it can be speculated that this may be due to the presence of virulent clones with a limited span of circulation.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 41(12), 5588 - 92
Risk factors associated with Campylobacter jejuni infections in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; Endtz HP et al.; A steady increase in the incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) with a seasonal preponderance, almost exclusively related to Campylobacter jejuni, and a rise in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed Campylobacter enteritis have been reported from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles . We therefore investigated possible risk factors associated with diarrhea due to epidemic C . jejuni . Typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified four epidemic clones which accounted for almost 60% of the infections . One hundred six cases were included in a case-control study . Infections with epidemic clones were more frequently observed in specific districts in Willemstad, the capital of Curacao . One of these clones caused infections during the rainy season only and was associated with the presence of a deep well around the house . Two out of three GBS-related C . jejuni isolates belonged to an epidemic clone . The observations presented point toward water as a possible source of Campylobacter infections.

Biochem J, 2004 Mar 15, 378(Pt 3), 851 - 6
Functional refolding of the Campylobacter jejuni MOMP (major outer membrane protein) porin by GroEL from the same species; Goulhen F et al.; Functional and structural studies of outer membrane proteins from Gram-negative bacteria are frequently carried out using refolded proteins . Recombinant proteins are produced in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies and then tediously refolded by dilution in buffered detergent solutions . In the present work, we obtained the refolding of MOMP (major outer membrane protein) from Campylobacter assisted by the molecular chaperone GroEL . Refolded MOMP recovered its native pore-forming activity when reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers . Both proteins were purified from the Campylobacter jejuni strain 85H . The purity of GroEL was assessed by silver staining and MS . Its native ultrastructure was observed by the use of transmission electron microscopy . Denaturation of MOMP was performed in urea at 65 degrees C followed by dialysis against 100 mM acetic acid, and was assessed by CD analysis . MOMP refolding reached a maximum efficiency in the presence of GroEL (at a MOMP/GroEL molar ratio of 9:1) and ATP . Under these conditions, 95% of denatured MOMP was refolded after a 15 min incubation . This approach represents an alternative method in studies of membrane protein refolding.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 69(12), 7523 - 6
Avian reservoirs and zoonotic potential of the emerging human pathogen Helicobacter canadensis; Waldenstrom J et al.; A polyphasic identification approach was used to investigate the taxonomic position of Campylobacter-like isolates recovered from barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) and Canada geese (Branta candensis) . Seven strains were selected from a collection of 21 isolates and analyzed by extensive phenotypic testing; four strains were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis . The results clearly identified the bird isolates as Helicobacter canadensis, recently described as an emerging human pathogen . This is the first report of an animal reservoir for this organism and of its presence in Europe and confirms the zoonotic potential of H . canadensis.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 69(12), 7409 - 13
Genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and the farm environment; Colles FM et al.; The genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and their environment was investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) . A total of 30 genotypes, defined by allelic profiles (assigned to sequence types {STs}), were found in 112 C . jejuni isolates originating in poultry, cattle, sheep, starlings, and slurry . All but two of these genotypes belonged to one of nine C . jejuni clonal complexes previously identified in isolates from human disease and retail food samples and one clonal complex previously associated with an environmental source . There was some evidence for the association of certain clonal complexes with particular farm animals: isolates belonging to the ST-45 complex predominated among poultry isolates but were absent among sheep isolates, while isolates belonging to the ST-61 and ST-42 complexes were predominant among sheep isolates but were absent from the poultry isolates . In contrast, ST-21 complex isolates were distributed among the different isolation sources . Comparison with MLST data from 91 human disease isolates showed small but significant genetic differentiation between the farm and human isolates; however, representatives of six clonal complexes were found in both samples . These data demonstrate that MLST and the clonal complex model can be used to identify and compare the genotypes of C . jejuni isolates from farm animals and the environment with those from retail food and human disease.

Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 2003 Nov-Dec, 116(11-12), 487 - 90
{Suitability of SSCP-PCR analysis for molecular detection of quinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni}; Beckmann L et al.; Foodborne infections with Campylobacter spp . are increasing, especially antibiotic resistant strains are emerging . Quinolone resistant isolates can cause failure of therapy in severe clinical infections . Molecular characterisation is needed for the detection of resistant variants of C . jejuni . Therefore 23 isolates from poultry and human medicine as well as three control strains were tested for their minimal inhibitory concentration, their Single-Strand-Conformation-Polymorphism (SSCP)-PCR pattern (a method for the detection of resistance determining point mutations), and their sequence of the quinolone resistance determining region (QRDR) . Six different SSCP types could be identified: two types for quinolone resistant isolates and other types containing so called silent mutations without influence on the resistance . A genotypic monitoring of the quinolone resistance in C . jejuni can be useful for the early detection of new resistance variants . As a screening method for detection of point mutations in the QRDR the SSCP-PCR can be applied . Compared to other genotypic methods the SSCP-PCR is less time and cost consuming and needs only standard technical equipment.

Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 2003 Nov-Dec, 116(11-12), 454 - 9
{Use of AFLP analysis for the molecular biological fine typing of Campylobacter jejuni strains from turkey flocks}; Alter T et al.; One of the most promising genotyping methods for microorganisms is the AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism)-analysis, originally developed to genotype plants . The AFLP method has a high discriminatory power and an excellent reproducibility . Thus it is suitable for solving taxonomic and epidemiological questions . AFLP analysis was used to reveal the genetic diversity of Campylobacter (C.) jejuni strains from turkeys . The aim was to detect and genotype C . jejuni strains on individual turkeys throughout the complete slaughter process . A broad spectrum of genotypes was detectable on the turkey skin at the beginning of the slaughter line . At the end of the slaughter process-after chilling, only a diminished spectrum of genotypes was detectable by AFLP-analysis, suggesting, that slaughter specific environmental stressors may exert a selective pressure on the strain diversity . Our results proved, that AFLP analysis is an excellent tool for subtyping large numbers of Campylobacter strains.

Semin Pediatr Surg, 2003 Nov, 12(4), 265 - 74
Infection and the gut; Blakelock RT et al.; Gastrointestinal symptoms, including vomiting, are caused by a variety of infective organisms in children, many of which are self-limiting and resolve within a week, but others are potentially much more serious in their consequences . Diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain are common but nonspecific symptoms . Investigation is dictated by the likely causative organism, given the age and presentation of the child . The role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis, recognition that Yersinia, Campylobacter and Salmonella may produce symptoms difficult to distinguish clinically from appendicitis, the viral causes of idiopathic intussusception, the occurrence of intussusception after administration of rotavirus vaccine, and the evidence incriminating mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in the aetiology of Crohn disease are discussed.

Poult Sci, 2003 Nov, 82(11), 1820 - 4
Effects of replacement finisher feed and length of feed withdrawal on broiler carcass yield and bacteria recovery; Northcutt JK et al.; A study was conducted to determine the effects of a replacement finisher feed (RF) on carcass yield and carcass bacteria recovery . RF is a commercial formulation of a D-glucose polymer (maltodextrin) with added salts and vitamins . Commercial male broilers (41 d of age) were given either RF or control-feed (traditional starter feed) for 8 h, followed by feed withdrawal for 0, 4, 8, or 12 h before processing . During processing, whole carcass rinses (WCR) of pre-eviscerated (feathers, feet, and heads removed) and eviscerated carcasses were analyzed for recovery of bacteria . Body weight at initiation of feed withdrawal (catch weight) or at slaughter (dock weight) did not differ significantly due to type of feed . Live shrink, as a percentage of live weight, increased significantly with time off feed . Birds fed RF exhibited significantly lower live shrink than the birds fed the control feed at 8 and 12 h after feed withdrawal . This difference between types of feed, RF or control, was approximately 0.1% per hour of feed withdrawal . Type of feed or length of feed withdrawal did not affect Campylobacter, coliform, or Escherichia coli counts recovered from WCR of pre-eviscerated or eviscerated carcasses . These data demonstrate that feeding RF to broilers for 8 h before initiation of feed withdrawal may reduce live shrink without affecting carcass Campylobacter, coliforms, or E . coli recovered.

J Periodontol, 2003 Oct, 74(10), 1460 - 9
Prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria in aggressive periodontitis patients in a Japanese population; Takeuchi Y et al.; BACKGROUND: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is considered a major etiologic agent of aggressive periodontitis . Other periodontopathic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis are also suspected of participating in aggressive periodontitis, although the evidence is controversial . The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria and to clarify the microbiological features of aggressive periodontitis in Japanese patients . METHODS: Subgingival plaque was collected from 50 aggressive periodontitis (AgP) patients (localized 10, generalized 40) . Samples from 35 generalized chronic periodontitis (CP) patients and 18 healthy subjects were examined as controls . Plaque samples were examined using culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method . RESULTS: The prevalence of A . actinomycetemcomitans was relatively low in the localized (20%) and generalized (17.5%) AgP patients, with no significant difference observed in detection frequencies between AgP and the control groups (CP 8.6%, healthy 0%) . On the other hand, Tannerella forsythensis (formerly Bacteroides forsythus), Campylobacter rectus, P . gingivalis, and Treponema denticola were frequently detected in localized as well as generalized aggressive periodontitis patients . The prevalence and proportion of P . gingivalis correlated with severity of clinical attachment loss in both localized and generalized aggressive periodontitis . CONCLUSIONS: T . forsythensis, C . rectus, P . gingivalis, and T . denticola were the predominant periodontopathic bacteria of aggressive periodontitis patients in Japan . Although A . actinomycetem- comitans was also detected in AgP patients, the prevalence of this bacterium was much lower than that of P . gingivalis.

Am J Public Health, 2003 Dec, 93(12), 2118 - 23
Risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter jejuni infections in rural michigan: a prospective case-control study; Potter RC et al.; OBJECTIVES: This case-control study investigated risk factors for campylobacteriosis in a rural population . Exposure to live farm animals was hypothesized to increase the risk for Campylobacter jejuni enteritis . METHODS: Incident cases from rural counties reported to the Michigan Department of Community Health and matched controls completed a self-administered postal questionnaire . RESULTS: Persons engaged in poultry husbandry had increased odds of campylobacteriosis (odds ratio = 6.884; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.438, 32.954) . There was evidence for a dose-response relationship between the number of types of poultry contact and campylobacteriosis . CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that 18% (95% CI = 6%, 30%) of Campylobacter cases occurring in rural populations are attributable to poultry husbandry . Cases occurred in individuals who were not poultry farmers by occupation.

Dis Esophagus, 2003, 16(4), 273 - 8
Gastroesophageal reflux before and after Helicobacter pylori eradication . A prospective study using ambulatory 24-h esophageal pH monitoring; Verma S et al.; The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of GERD before and after Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication utilizing 24-h esophageal pH/manometry studies . Helicobacter pylori status was confirmed by the Campylobacter like organism test . Those testing positive underwent 24-h pH/manometry followed by HP eradication therapy and urea breath test . Patients were followed up at 6 months and then at 1 year when they underwent a repeat 24-h pH/manometry . Twenty patients, 10 with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and 10 with duodenal ulcer (DU) were enrolled, though only 10 patients attended for a repeat 24-h pH/manometry study . The patients were well matched, though patients with NUD had a significantly higher symptom score at entry compared with the DU group (8.5 vs 5.7, P < 0.05) . The pH and esophageal manometry data were similar in the two groups . Overall nine patients (45%; DU = 5, NUD = 4) had evidence of GERD prior to HP eradication and it persisted one year after cure of the infection . The reflux disease occurred in the presence of normal LES pressure (mean 15.6 +/- 3.3 mmHg) . New onset GERD was uncommon after cure of HP infection, occurring in only one patient with NUD . Overall HP eradication had no impact on percentage of time pH < 4 (4.69 +/- 3 vs 4.79 +/- 3), episodes > 5 min (9.8 +/- 16 vs 15.5 +/- 25.3) and Johnson DeMeester Score (16.8 +/- 7.5 vs 26.8 +/- 18) . In addition successful cure of HP produced no significant changes in LES pressure (17.9 +/- 3.8 mmHg vs 19.3 +/- 4.6 mmHg), and other esophageal manometry data . Half of HP-positive patients with NUD and DU have evidence of GERD before HP eradication . This persists after successful cure of the infection . New onset GERD occurs very uncommonly one year after HP eradication.

Acta Vet Scand, 2003, 44(1-2), 1 - 19
Heat resistance in liquids of Enterococcus spp., Listeria spp., Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella spp . and Campylobacter spp; Sorqvist S; The aim of the work was to collect, evaluate, summarize and compare heat resistance data reported for Campylobacter, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella and Yersinia spp . The work was limited to resistance in liquids with pH values 6-8 . Results obtained under similar experimental conditions were sought . Thermal destruction lines for the various bacterial groups studied were constructed using log10 D values and treatment temperatures . There was a good linear relationship between log10 D and temperature with Escherichia coli, listerias and salmonellas . For campylobacters, enterococci and yersinias the relationships were weaker but, nevertheless, present . Using the slopes of the lines and their 95% confidence limits, z values and their 95% confidence limits were calculated . z values were compared with z values obtained from reports . The equations for the lines were also used for calculation of predicted means of D values at various treatment temperatures . 95% confidence limits on predicted means of D values and on predicted individual D values were also calculated . Lines and values are shown in figures and tables . Differences in heat resistance noted between and within the bacterial groups studied are discussed.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2003 Oct, 69(4), 398 - 405
Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of acute diarrhea with emphasis on Entamoeba histolytica infections in preschool children in an urban slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh; Haque R et al.; The epidemiology, clinical features, nutritional status, and causative agents of diarrhea were studied in 289 Bangladeshi children (147 boys and 142 girls) 2-5 years old . The use of improved diagnostic tests for amebiasis enabled for the first time analysis of the contribution of Entamoeba histolytica to total diarrheal illness in this community setting . The average incidence rate of diarrhea was 1.8/child-year, and the average number of diarrheal days was 3.7 days/child-year over an average observation period of 2.8 years/child . Seventy-five percent of the diarrheal episodes were < or = 2 days in duration . Persistent diarrhea was relatively uncommon (0.2% of the children) and chronic diarrhea was observed in only one episode . Compared with malnourished and/or stunted children, better-nourished children experienced significantly fewer diarrheal episodes . The diarrheal incidence rate for children with blood group A was significantly less that that of the children with blood groups O and AB . The most frequent bacterial enteropathogens isolated from diarrheal stool specimens were enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (9%) and Aeromonas species (9%), followed by Plesimonas shigelloides (4%) and Shigella flexneri (3.8%) . Rotavirus was the most common viral agent isolated from diarrheal stool samples (5%) . Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium parvum, and E . histolytica were identified in 11%, 8.4%, and 8%, respectively, of the diarrheal stool specimens . Dysentery was observed in 7.7% of all diarrheal episodes . The most common pathogens isolated from dysenteric stool were S . flexneri (11.6%), Aeromonas sp . (10%), E . histolytica (8.7%), Campylobacter jejunii (5.8%), P . shigelloides (4.3%), and A . caviae (4.3%) . The overall incidence rate of E . histolytica-associated diarrhea was 0.08/child-year . Visible blood and hemoccult test-detected blood loss was found in 7% and 25%, respectively, of cases of E . histolytica-associated diarrhea . Children who had recovered from a diarrheal episode with E . histolytica, but not E . dispar, had half the chance of developing subsequent E . histolytica-associated diarrhea, consistent with the development of species-specific acquired immunity . In conclusion, the use of modern diagnostic tests demonstrated that E . histolytica contributed to overall morbidity from diarrheal illness . Understanding the etiology, frequency, and consequences of acute diarrhea in children from a developing country should aid in the design of interventions to improve child health.

Microbiol Immunol, 2003, 47(11), 833 - 9
Effects of quorum sensing on flaA transcription and autoagglutination in Campylobacter jejuni; Jeon B et al.; Some bacteria can communicate with other species of bacteria by means of autoinducer-2 (AI-2)-mediated quorum sensing . In this study, we demonstrated that AI-2-mediated quorum sensing influences the transcription of flaA, the major flagellin gene in Campylobacter jejuni . A null mutation of luxS in C . jejuni strain 81116 reduced flaA transcription (approximately 43% that of the wild-type) and induced a reduction in motility . However, the luxS mutant had the same level of total flagellin protein as the wild-type . Transmission electron microscopy showed that the flagellar structure was preserved in the luxS mutant . The agglutination capability was reduced in the mutant strain, implying that quorum sensing might be involved in the formation of surface structures of C . jejuni . These observations suggest that AI-2-mediated quorum sensing may play a role in regulation of motility and surface properties in C . jejuni.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2003 Dec, 47(12), 3825 - 30
Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains isolated in 1991 and 2001-2002 from poultry and humans in Berlin, Germany; Luber P et al.; The susceptibilities of 430 Campylobacter jejuni strains and 79 C . coli strains to six antimicrobial agents were tested and analyzed . The two sets of strains originated from retail market chicken and turkey samples and from humans, respectively, in Berlin, Germany . Two groups of isolates, one dating from 1991 and the other dating from 2001-2002, were tested . Of the Campylobacter sp . isolates recovered from humans in 2001-2002, 45.1% were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 37.8% were resistant to tetracycline, 12.8% were resistant to ampicillin, and 50.0% were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole . All isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, while the overall rate of resistance to erythromycin was 6.1% . During the 10 years between the two sampling times, the rates of resistance to ciprofloxacin (P<0.001), ampicillin (P=0.035), and tetracycline (P=0.01) increased significantly among strains isolated from humans . Furthermore, among human C . coli strains the rate of resistance to erythromycin rose from 7.1% in 1991 to 29.4% in 2001-2002 . In comparison, Campylobacter sp . isolates from poultry already had high rates of resistance in 1991 . Different rates of resistance to tetracycline among isolates from chickens and turkeys suggested the development of resistance during antimicrobial treatment in food animals . Thus, discrepancies in the antimicrobial resistance rates among Campylobacter isolates originating from poultry and humans support the hypothesis that at least some of the resistant Campylobacter strains causing infection in humans come from sources other than poultry products.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(5), 1096 - 105
Differentiation of Arcobacter species by numerical analysis of AFLP profiles and description of a novel Arcobacter from pig abortions and turkey faeces; On SL et al.; AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-based genetic profiling for taxonomic and epidemiological analyses of diverse Arcobacter species . METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-two isolates of A . butzleri, A . cryaerophilus, A . skirrowii and A . nitrofigilis, and a previously unclassified porcine abortion strain were studied . AFLP profiling was performed using a BglII-Csp6I-based protocol previously used to characterize Campylobacter species . Duplicate profiles of 20 isolates were 93.25% similar, indicating high reproducibility . Numerical analysis of all 72 strains revealed five phenons at the 29% similarity level, four of which represented each of the known species studied . The remaining phenon was further characterized by phenotypic and 16S rDNA sequence analyses, the results of which indicated it to be a novel Arcobacter species . The genetically distinct subgroups of A . cryaerophilus were differentiated at the 39.5% similarity level . For strain typing, 62 distinct types were defined, with evidence of clonal lineages within A . butzleri, A . cryaerophilus and A . skirrowii . CONCLUSIONS: AFLP profiling is an effective means of determining taxonomic and strain relationships for arcobacters . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: First use of AFLP profiling for diverse Arcobacter species; indication of clonality in A . butzleri, A . cryaerophilus and A . skirrowii; potentially novel Arcobacter taxon identified.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(5), 1070 - 9
Detection and survival of Campylobacter in chicken eggs; Sahin O et al.; AIMS: Campylobacter jejuni, a food-borne human pathogen, is widespread in poultry; however, the sources of infection and modes of transmission of this organism on chicken farms are not well understood . The objective of this study was to determine if vertical transmission of C . jejuni occurs via eggs . METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a temperature differential method, it was shown that Campylobacter had limited ability to penetrate the eggshell . When C . jejuni was directly inoculated into the egg yolk and the eggs were stored at 18 degrees C, the organism was able to survive for up to 14 days . However, viability of C . jejuni was dramatically shortened when injected into the albumen or the air sac . When freshly laid eggs from Campylobacter-inoculated specific pathogen-free (SPF) layers were tested, C . jejuni-contamination was detected in three of 65 pooled whole eggs (5-10 eggs in each pool) via culture and PCR . However, the organism was not detected from any of the 800 eggs (80 pools), collected from the same SPF flock, but kept at 18 degrees C for 7 days before testing . Likewise, Campylobacter was not recovered from any of 500 fresh eggs obtained from commercial broiler-breeder flocks that were actively shedding Campylobacter in faeces . Also, none of the 1000 eggs from broiler breeders obtained from a commercial hatchery were positive for Campylobacter . CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that vertical transmission of C . jejuni through the egg is probably a rare event and does not play a major role in the introduction of Campylobacter to chicken flocks . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Control of Campylobacter transmission to chicken flocks should focus on sources of infection that are not related to eggs.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(6), 1321 - 33
Inter-laboratory evaluation of three flagellin PCR/RFLP methods for typing Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli: the CAMPYNET experience; Harrington CS et al.; AIMS: To compare typeability, discriminatory ability, and inter-laboratory reproducibility of three flagellin PCR/RFLP (fla typing) methods previously described for Campylobacter . METHODS AND RESULTS: The sample set (n = 100) was diverse, including both C . jejuni (n = 85) and C . coli (n = 15) . Two of the three flaA typing methods amplified flaA alone, whereas one, a multiplex assay, amplified flaB in addition to flaA . DdeI restriction enzyme was employed for all methods, but HinfI was also investigated . 98-100% typeability was obtained for flaA-based methods, but only 93% for the multiplex assay, due to inconsistent amplification of a non-specific product . In addition, there appeared to be selective amplification of flaA over flaB . More DdeI types were generated using a longer flaA PCR amplicon, whilst additional use of HinfI increased the number of types by ca 25% . Inter-laboratory reproducibility for both flaA-based methods was defined at 100% . CONCLUSIONS: Fla typing requires standardization with respect to PCR primers and restriction enzymes . This study identified an assay, employing the full flaA gene and DdeI digestion, as an appropriate method on which to standardize . 100% inter-laboratory reproducibility was demonstrated using that method . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This work should facilitate progress towards inter-laboratory standardization of fla typing.

J Vet Med B Infect Dis Vet Public Health, 2003 Aug, 50(6), 294 - 7
Isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from the gall bladder samples of sheep and identification by polymerase chain reaction; Ertas HB et al.; In this study, 100 gall bladder samples of sheep slaughtered at an abattoir in Elazig province were examined for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . Preston Campylobacter Agar supplemented with 7% horse blood and Preston Selective Supplement (Oxoid, Hampshire, UK) were used for isolation of the agents . Campylobacter spp . were isolated in 66 samples, and they were identified as 34% C . jejuni and 32% C . coli . A multiplex PCR based upon the use of ceuE gene-specific primers was applied on DNA samples extracted from C . jejuni and C . coli isolates . All C . jejuni and C . coli strains that were positive by culture were also detected to be positive by PCR . This study shows that PCR can be used an alternative, rapid and sensitive test for the identification of C . jejuni and C . coli which threaten human and animal health.

Tech Coloproctol, 2003 Oct, 7(3), 173 - 7
Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis presenting as inflammatory bowel disease; Quondamcarlo C et al.; We report a case of Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis presenting as inflammatory bowel disease in a 19-year old woman . After a useless course of corticosteroids, ceftazidime and metronidazole, she was successfully treated with erythromicin . Campylobacter species represent an important cause of gastroenteritis in children and adults . The rate of Campylobacter isolation is 5-6 per 100,000 persons . This rate, however, grossly understimates the actual number of Campylobacter infections . In most cases, Campylobacter enteritis is a self-limiting disease, rarely associated with severe complications . Our case demonstrates the difficulty in distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) at onset from atypical infectious colitis . Unfortunately, corticosteroids (necessary for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease) may exacerbate infectious etiologies . Campylobacter jejuni should be ruled out when assessing inflammatory bowel diseases at onset (as during flare-ups), especially if corticosteroids or immunosuppressive therapies are required.

J Food Prot, 2003 Nov, 66(11), 2135 - 7
Campylobacter in ready-to-eat foods: the result of a 15-month survey; Meldrum RJ et al.; Ready-to-eat foods at retail and catering establishments were randomly sampled at the point of sale for a period of 15 months . During this period, 4,469 food samples were examined for the presence of Campylobacter with the use of plate-based methodology . A range of different ready-to-eat food types, all of which have the potential to be contaminated with the organism, were examined . No viable Campylobacter cells were detected in any of the foods during the survey . There is no evidence that the foods examined in this study represent a risk to the consumer . Although these foods may be a vehicle for infection if cross-contamination occurs, other sources need to be investigated as causes of enteric infection caused by Campylobacter.

J Food Prot, 2003 Nov, 66(11), 2103 - 15
Cost-effectiveness of a targeted disinfection program in household kitchens to prevent foodborne illnesses in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; Duff SB et al.; Foodborne illnesses impose a substantial economic and quality-of-life burden on society by way of acute morbidity and chronic sequelae . We developed an economic model to evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of a disinfection program that targets high-risk food preparation activities in household kitchens . For the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, we used published literature and expert opinion to estimate the cost of the program (excluding the educational component); the number of cases of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections prevented; and the economic and quality-of-life outcomes . In our primary analysis, the model estimated that approximately 80,000 infections could be prevented annually in U.S . households, resulting in 138 million dollars in direct medical cost savings (e.g., physician office visits and hospitalizations avoided), 15,845 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, 788 million dollars in program costs, and a favorable cost-effectiveness ratio of 41,021 dollars/QALY gained . Results were similar for households in Canada and the United Kingdom (21,950 dollars Can/QALY gained and 86,341 pounds sterling/QALY gained, respectively) . When we evaluated implementing the program only in U.S . households with high-risk members (those less than 5 years of age, greater than 65 years of age, or immunocompromised), the cost-effectiveness ratio was more favorable (10,163 dollars/QALY gained) . Results were similar for high-risk households in Canada and the United Kingdom (1,915 dollars Can/QALY gained and 28,158 pounds sterling/QALY gained, respectively) . Implementing a targeted disinfection program in household kitchens in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom appears to be a cost-effective strategy, falling within the range generally considered to warrant adoption and diffusion (<100,000 dollars/QALY gained).

J Food Prot, 2003 Nov, 66(11), 2032 - 7
Use of an autobioluminescent Campylobacter jejuni to monitor cell survival as a function of temperature, pH, and sodium chloride; Kelana LC et al.; The effects of storage temperature (4, 22, and 30 degrees C), pH (4.0 to 8.5), and sodium chloride concentration (0.25 to 7.5%, wt/vol) on the survival of a strain of Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 35921 with an autobioluminescent phenotype (generated from the fusion of luxCDABE genes from Xenorhabdus luminescens to the C . jejuni flaA promoter) in Mueller-Hinton broth under aerobic conditions were determined . At comparable pHs, autobioluminescent C . jejuni cells die most rapidly at 30 degrees C and most slowly at 4 degrees C . For example, at pH 5.5, a 1.2-log decrease in the cell count was observed after 4 days of storage at 4 degrees C, while 3.7- and 4.8-log reductions in cell numbers were observed after 4 days of storage at 22 and 30 degrees C, respectively . At 4 degrees C, C . jejuni was sensitive to NaCl concentrations of > or = 2.5% . However, the degree of inactivation at this storage temperature was also significantly lower than that observed at 22 degrees C, which, in turn, was substantially lower than that observed at 30 degrees C . In the presence of different NaCl concentrations at 22 and 30 degrees C, a strong correlation (r = 0.98) between plate count and bioluminescence output was obtained . However, at low pHs (4.0 and 4.5) and/or a low storage temperature (4 degrees C), bioluminescence did not correlate well with plate count . Despite these limitations, an autobioluminescent phenotype of C . jejuni proved to be a useful tool for studying the behavior of C . jejuni exposed to environmental stresses.

J Food Prot, 2003 Nov, 66(11), 2023 - 31
Effect of temperature on viability of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli on raw chicken or pork skin; Solow BT et al.; To determine growth and survival of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli on chicken and pork, Campylobacter spp . (10(4) CFU/cm2) were inoculated on pieces of raw, irradiated chicken or pork skin and exposed to temperatures ranging from -20 to 42 degrees C under either microaerobic or aerobic conditions . Viable counts over 48 h declined 2 to 3 log CFU/cm2 at -20 degrees C and 1 to 2 log CFU/cm2 at 25 degrees C regardless of skin type, species of Campylobacter, or level of oxygen . At 4 degrees C, there was no significant change in the number of Campylobacter over 48 h . At both 37 and 42 degrees C, the number of viable Campylobacter increased significantly (2 to 3 log CFU/cm2, P < 0.0001) under microaerobic conditions but decreased 0.5 to 1.5 log CFU/cm2 in air . Preincubation of skins for 24 h at 42 degrees C under microaerobic conditions to establish Campylobacter on the surface prior to lowering the temperature to -20, 4, or 25 degrees C and incubating in air resulted in a decline in viability for the first 4 h (0.5 to 1 log CFU/cm2) . However, after this initial drop in viability, no additional effect on viability was observed compared with incubation at -20, 4, or 25 degrees C in air without microaerobic preincubation at 42 degrees C . Preincubation of inoculated skins at -20, 4, or 25 degrees C in air for 24 h followed by a shift in temperature to 42 degrees C for 4, 8, 24, or 48 h and a shift to microaerobic conditions resulted in an overall decline in viability on raw pork skin but not on raw chicken skin . In contrast, preincubation of inoculated skins at -20, 4, or 25 degrees C for 24 h in air followed by a shift in temperature to 37 degrees C and microaerobic conditions did not result in a decrease in viable counts for either chicken or pork skins . Overall, viability of C . coli and C . jejuni on chicken and pork skins was similar . Therefore, a lower incidence of Campylobacter spp . in pork than in poultry postslaughter, despite a similar prevalence in live animals, is not due to differences in viability of C . coli versus C . jejuni on raw chicken or pork skin.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2003 Dec 31, 89(2-3), 233 - 40
Resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp . strains isolated from poultry carcasses in a big Swiss poultry slaughterhouse; Frediani-Wolf V et al.; The aim of this study was to determine resistance patterns of strains of Campylobacter spp . isolated from poultry carcasses in one of the two big Swiss poultry slaughterhouses . A variety of antibiotics with clinical relevance in human and/or in veterinary medicine was tested . In addition, the results of the disc diffusion method, E-test and microdilution broth methods were compared . Of the 195 Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from 195 poultry carcasses from 21 flocks, 134 strains were susceptible in vitro to all tested antibiotics . Sixty-one strains (31.3%, from eight flocks) showed resistance . Forty-one strains were resistant to a single antibiotic-34 to streptomycin, 6 to ampicillin and 1 to ciprofloxacin . Eighteen strains (from two flocks) showed combined resistance to erythromycin and streptomycin, two strains to ciprofloxacin and streptomycin . None of the isolates was resistant to tetracycline . The data of this first study in Switzerland show a favourable resistance situation for C . jejuni strains against erythromycin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin . The disc diffusion method was found to be a reliable and easy tool for monitoring the prevalence of resistant C . jejuni strains . For surveillance of changes in the susceptibility concentration levels to antimicrobial agents, however, a MIC method should be used . Further investigations along the whole poultry production chain (farm, slaughterhouse and retail levels) are now necessary in order to confirm the resistance situation.

Eur J Epidemiol, 2003, 18(11), 1097 - 100
Heat-stable antigen serotyping of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from hospitalized children in Athens, Greece; Chatzipanagiotou S et al.; A hundred and twentynine Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from hospitalized children with gastroenteritis were serotyped by the heat-stable antigen scheme (HS, Penner's method) . Isolates belonged to two different periods . Group A contained strains isolated in 1987-1988 and group B contained strains which were isolated in 1998-2000 . A variety of serotypes was found . Serotype HS:2 was predominant, followed by the HS:4 complex and HS:1,44 . Many clinically important Guillain-Barre Syndrome associated serotypes--like HS:19--were identified . There were no significant differences in the distribution of serotypes between the two periods . The present report provides reference data, as this is the first C . jejuni serotyping study ever made in Greece.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 2003 Nov, 74(11), 1555 - 61
A variant of multifocal motor neuropathy with acute, generalised presentation and persistent conduction blocks; Lefaucheur JP et al.; OBJECTIVE: Multifocal motor neuropathy with persistent conduction blocks is classically described as a chronic neuropathy with progressive onset, and acute forms have not previously been characterised . We report four cases of severe motor impairment with acute and generalised onset and with persistent motor conduction blocks . PATIENTS AND RESULTS: An acute tetraparesis with diffuse areflexia but little or no sensory disturbance was the clinical picture . Serial electrophysiological tests showed persistent multifocal motor conduction blocks with absent F waves in most tested motor nerves . No or minor abnormalities of the sensory nerve action potentials were observed . Cerebrospinal fluid contained normal or mildly increased protein levels (<1 g/l) without cells . Campylobacter jejuni serology was negative in three patients and consistent with past infection in one patient . Anti-ganglioside antibodies were positive in three patients . A five day course of intravenous immunoglobulins produced nearly complete symptom resolution in three patients and was ineffective in one patient . CONCLUSION: Because of the persistence of multifocal motor conduction blocks for several weeks or months as the isolated electrophysiological feature, these cases could not be consistent with Guillain-Barre syndrome or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy . They suggest an original variant of multifocal motor neuropathy with an acute and generalised initial presentation and persistent motor conduction blocks affecting all four limbs.

Clin Microbiol Infect, 2003 Nov, 9(11), 1085 - 90
Evaluation of the ProSpecT Microplate Assay for detection of Campylobacter: a routine laboratory perspective; Dediste A et al.; OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of the new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay (Alexon-Trend, Minneapolis, MN, USA), which allows 2-h detection of both Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli antigen directly in stool specimens . METHODS: Over 4 months, all stool samples preserved in Cary-Blair medium, or fresh specimens, from non-hospitalized children and HIV-infected patients (adults and children), submitted to our laboratory were evaluated with the ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay . Results were compared with those obtained by routine culture methods using both a specific medium and a filtration method for the recovery of Campylobacter spp . RESULTS: Of the 1205 stool specimens cultured, 101 were found to be positive for either C . jejuni or C . coli, giving an overall recovery rate of 8.38% . Ninety samples were positive by both culture and ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay, and 11 were positive by culture only, giving a sensitivity of 89.1% . In addition, of 1104 samples negative by culture, 25 were initially positive by ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay . We found no cross-reaction with other bacterial enteropathogens isolated from stool specimens . These results thus confirm a high specificity (97.7%) for both C . jejuni and C . coli . The positive and negative predictive values found were 78.3% and 99%, respectively . There was no statistically significant difference in sensitivity and specificity if the stool was fresh or preserved with Cary-Blair medium . CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay is a rapid and easy-to-use test for the detection of both C . jejuni and C . coli in stool specimens . It could be used for patients for whom early antibiotic therapy is needed or for epidemiologic studies.

Clin Microbiol Infect, 2003 Sep, 9(9), 970 - 2
Campylobacter jejuni: unusual cause of cholecystitis with lithiasis . Case report and literature review; Dakdouki GK et al.; A 51-year-old man presented with acute cholecystitis and the routine intraoperative culture of the bile grew Campylobacter jejuni . The patient was cured by laparoscopic cholecystectomy without specific antimicrobial treatment . Cholecystitis owing to Campylobacter spp . could be missed because a culture for Campylobacter is not routinely requested nor is it cost effective to look for it in bile or gallbladder specimens . Moreover, the fastidious nature of these bacteria dictates against their recovery in routine culture . Because this is a rare infection at this site, a review of the literature on this infection is included.

Mod Pathol, 2003 Nov, 16(11), 1076 - 85
Alterations in the proliferating compartment of gastric mucosa during Helicobacter pylori infection: the putative role of epithelial cells expressing p27(kip1); Sougioultzis S et al.; The proliferating zone contains stem cells that give rise to all epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa . In the present study, we investigated the turnover of gastric epithelial cells in the proliferating zone of Helicobacter pylori-infected mucosa, with or without intestinal metaplasia, before and after eradication of the microorganism . In addition, we studied the topographical distribution of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1), which plays a critical role in cell cycle progression and differentiation programs . Twenty-eight patients (22 male), aged 32-78 years and with dyspeptic symptoms, were endoscoped, and gastric biopsies were obtained from antrum and corpus for histopathological examination and the Campylobacter-like organisms test; eradication therapy was given to infected patients, and all patients were re-endoscoped after 105 +/- 33 days (mean +/- SD) . The kinetics of gastric epithelial cells and p27(Kip1) status was assessed by means of immunohistochemistry and TUNEL (Tdt-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling) assay . Twenty-one (21) of 28 patients were H . pylori positive, and 7 were found H . pylori negative and served as controls . In antrum, intestinal metaplasia was detected in 7/21 (33.3%) . In H . pylori gastritis, Ki67 expression was found increased in the proliferating zone, compared with normal (P =.03); analogous results were obtained with the other proliferation markers, namely retinoblastoma protein and topoisomerase IIalpha . An inverse relationship between proliferation index and atrophy was disclosed (P =.02) . A reduction in the proliferation index was observed after eradication, albeit not significant . Apoptotic epithelial cells were found significantly increased (P <.01) in H . pylori gastritis, and a significant reduction was observed after eradication (P <.01) . In addition, apoptotic index was found to correlate with H . pylori density . The topographical study of p27(Kip1) revealed a p27(kip1)-positive epithelial cell population that resided deep in the proliferating zone; these cells were considered to be stem cells and were found significantly increased in areas with intestinal metaplasia (P <.05); in H . pylori gastritis, there was also an increase that did not reach statistical significance . H . pylori infection induces apoptosis and increases proliferation in the proliferating zone . The increased cellular turnover, together with the increased number of putative p27(Kip1)-positive stem cells in the context of intestinal metaplasia, provides further evidence for the role of H . pylori infection in gastric carcinogenesis.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 2003 Dec, 52(6), 1035 - 9 Epub 2003 Nov 12.
Multidrug resistance in Campylobacter jejuni strains collected from Finnish patients during 1995-2000; Hakanen AJ et al.; OBJECTIVES: The resistance of Campylobacter jejuni to fluoroquinolones is increasing globally . This study was performed to delineate those antimicrobial agents that are effective in vitro against ciprofloxacin-resistant C . jejuni isolates and potentially suitable for the treatment of severe disease when fluoroquinolone resistance or multidrug resistance is known or suspected . METHODS: During 1995-2000 we collected 376 C . jejuni strains, of which 354 were of foreign origin from multiple countries and 22 were of domestic origin . The MICs of 12 antimicrobial agents against the isolates were determined . RESULTS: Of the 376 strains, 174 (46%) were resistant to ciprofloxacin . Among other antimicrobials, resistance was most common to tetracycline (46%) and ampicillin (17%) . Of the ciprofloxacin-resistant strains, 68% and 25%, respectively, were resistant to tetracycline and ampicillin, and 3% were resistant to erythromycin, gentamicin or clindamycin . One (0.6%) ciprofloxacin-resistant isolate was resistant to co-amoxiclav and none was resistant to imipenem . Resistance to three or more antimicrobial groups was detected in 22% of the isolates . Multidrug resistance was significantly associated with ciprofloxacin resistance (33% versus 12%; P<0.01) . Eight (2%) strains were resistant to macrolides, of which 75% were also resistant to ciprofloxacin, but none was resistant to co-amoxiclav or imipenem . CONCLUSIONS: Macrolides still appear to be the first-choice alternative for suspected C . jejuni enteritis, if antimicrobial treatment is needed . The in vitro susceptibilities suggest that clinical trials to treat enteritis caused by multidrug-resistant C . jejuni with co-amoxiclav, and life-threatening infections with a carbapenem, may be valuable.

Arch Microbiol, 2003 Dec, 180(6), 394 - 401 Epub 2003 Nov 11.
Purification and properties of the formate dehydrogenase and characterization of the fdhA gene of Sulfurospirillum multivorans; Schmitz RP et al.; The soluble periplasmic subunit of the formate dehydrogenase FdhA of the tetrachloroethene-reducing anaerobe Sulfurospirillum multivorans was purified to apparent homogeneity and the gene ( fdhA) was identified and sequenced . The purified enzyme catalyzed the oxidation of formate with oxidized methyl viologen as electron acceptor at a specific activity of 1683 nkat/mg protein . The apparent molecular mass of the native enzyme was determined by gel filtration to be about 100 kDa, which was confirmed by the fdhA nucleotide sequence . fdhA encodes for a pre-protein that differs from the truncated mature protein by an N-terminal 35-amino-acid signal peptide containing a twin arginine motif . The amino acid sequence of FdhA revealed high sequence similarities to the larger subunits of the formate dehydrogenases of Campylobacter jejuni, Wolinella succinogenes, Escherichia coli (FdhN, FdhH, FdhO), and Methanobacterium formicicum . According to the nucleotide sequence, FdhA harbors one Fe(4)/S(4) cluster and a selenocysteine residue as well as conserved amino acids thought to be involved in the binding of a molybdopterin guanidine dinucleotide cofactor.

Rev Esp Salud Publica, 2003 Sep-Oct, 77(5), 629 - 38
{Incidence of sporadic cases of the most frequent intestinal infections in Castellon}; Bellido JB et al.; BACKGROUND: Intestinal infections are highly frequent processes of which solely a part are identified by the epidemiological monitoring systems . This study is aimed at estimating the incidence on the population, by age groups, of the sporadic intestinal infections diagnosed in one healthcare district in Castellon in the year 2000 . METHODS: Based on the routine coprocultures, the basic demographic data for each patient was gathered for calculating the diagnosis and hospitalization rates . For children up to five years of age, the per annum rates were calculation for each microorganism . RESULTS: Campylobacter showed the highest rates (114.5 x 10(5)), followed by rotavirus (94.7) and Salmonella (83.0) . Rotavirus is predominant among children under one year of age (3,194 x 10(5)), Campylobacter among those 1-4 year-olds, with a maximum of 3,850 x 10(5) among one-year olds, while Salmonella was predominant among all ages starting as of 5 years of age . The rates for cases hospitalized showed a different pattern, rotavirus ranking first (34.9 x 10(5)), Salmonella (21.7 x 10(5)) and Campylobacter (9.9 x 10(5)) . With the exception of Salmonella, there were no outbreaks during the period under study . The predominance of Campylobacter was observed at the expense of the cases among children within the 1-4 age range who were not hospitalized . CONCLUSIONS: Up to 4 years of age, the distribution of the germs causing these infections differs every year . A knowledge of the descriptive epidemiology of these infections contributes to the study of the social impact thereof and provides support for delving deeper into some questions that are posed with a view to these diseases and the preventive aspects which can be implemented.

Pediatr Res, 2004 Jan, 55(1), 3 - 12 Epub 2003 Nov 06.
Enteric campylobacter: purging its secrets?
Crushell E, Harty S, Sharif F, Bourke B.
Campylobacterial infections are the most common cause of bacterial enterocolitis in humans . Among children, especially in developing countries, Campylobacter infections can cause severe life-threatening diarrheal disease . Although usually associated with a benign outcome in the developed world, the burden of illness posed by Campylobacter infections is enormous, and serious neurologic sequelae also can occur . For a variety of reasons our understanding of the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of Campylobacter infection has lagged far behind that of other enteric pathogens . However, recent completion of the genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni promises to open up the Campylobacter research field with the prospect of developing novel therapeutic and preventive strategies.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Nov, 41(11), 5134 - 46
Duplex real-time SYBR green PCR assays for detection of 17 species of food- or waterborne pathogens in stools; Fukushima H et al.; A duplex real-time SYBR Green LightCycler PCR (LC-PCR) assay with DNA extraction using the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini kit was evaluated with regard to detection of 8 of 17 species of food- or waterborne pathogens in five stool specimens in 2 h or less . The protocol used the same LC-PCR with 20 pairs of specific primers . The products formed were identified based on a melting point temperature (T(m)) curve analysis . The 17 species of food- or waterborne pathogens examined were enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, enteropathogenic E . coli, enterohemorrhagic E . coli, enterotoxigenic E . coli, enteroaggregative E . coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Campylobacter jejuni, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus, Aeromonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and Bacillus cereus . No interference with the LC-PCR assay was observed when stool specimens were artificially inoculated with each bacterial species . The detection levels were approximately 10(5) food- or waterborne pathogenic bacteria per g of stool . The protocol for processing stool specimens for less than 10(4) food- or waterborne pathogenic bacteria per g of stool requires an overnight enrichment step to achieve adequate sensitivity . However, the rapid amplification and reliable detection of specific genes of greater than 10(5) food- or waterborne pathogenic bacteria per g in samples should facilitate the diagnosis and management of food- or waterborne outbreaks.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Nov, 69(11), 6370 - 9
Multilocus sequence typing for comparison of veterinary and human isolates of Campylobacter jejuni; Manning G et al.; Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has been applied to 266 Campylobacter jejuni isolates, mainly from veterinary sources, including cattle, sheep, poultry, pigs, pets, and the environment, as well as isolates from human cases of campylobacteriosis . The populations of veterinary and human isolates overlap, suggesting that most veterinary sources should be considered reservoirs of pathogenic campylobacters . There were some associations between source and sequence type complex, indicating that host or source adaptation may exist . The pig isolates formed a distinct group by MLST and may well represent a potential pig-adapted clone of C . jejuni . A subset (n = 82) of isolates was reanalyzed with a second MLST scheme which provided a unique set of isolates that had been analyzed at a total of 12 loci . The distribution of isolates among the complexes in each of the two schemes was similar but not identical . In addition to isolates from human outbreaks, one group of isolates that were not epidemiologically linked was also identical at all 12 loci . This group of isolates is believed to represent another stable strain of C . jejuni.

Mol Cell Probes, 2003 Dec, 17(6), 313 - 7
Detection of galE gene by polymerase chain reaction in campylobacters associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome; Nawaz MS et al.; Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) is a neuromuscular disorder and campylobacteriosis is known to trigger the onset of the disorder . A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed that could specifically amplify a 497-bp region of the UDP-galactose 4-epimerase (galE) gene sequence in campylobacters responsible for triggering the onset of GBS . The identity of the PCR product was confirmed by Hind III endonuclease restriction digestion, which produced the predicted 430 and 67-bp DNA fragments . The assay could detect the presence of the gene in Campylobacter suspensions containing as few as 5 cells ml(-1) . The assay detected the presence of the gene in 17 of the 20 campylobacters isolated from chicken, 9 of the 13 campylobacters isolated from turkey and 7 of the 7 campylobacters isolated from human stools . All Campylobacter strains isolated from chicken, turkey and clinical samples were resistant to multiple antibiotics . The assay failed to detect the presence of the gene in five different microaerophilic strains of Helicobacter spp., E . coli and Salmonella spp . The entire diagnostic assay, including template preparation, amplification and electrophoresis, can be completed within 6 h.

Poult Sci, 2003 Oct, 82(10), 1641 - 7
Bacterial recovery from breast skin of genetically feathered and featherless broiler carcasses immediately following scalding and picking; Buhr RJ et al.; Genetically feathered and featherless sibling broilers selected for matched BW were killed, scalded, and defeathered to determine the consequences of feathers and empty feather follicles on the recovery of bacteria from carcass breast skin . In trial 1, the vents of all carcasses were plugged and sutured before scalding to prevent the expulsion of cloacal contents during picking . In trial 2, half of the carcasses had their vents plugged and sutured . Immediately after defeathering, breast skin was aseptically removed, and bacteria associated with it were enumerated . In trial 1, the levels of bacteria recovered did not differ between feathered and featherless carcasses: Campylobacter log10 1.4 cfu/mL of rinse, coliform log10 1.8, Escherichia coli log10 1.6, and total aerobic bacteria log10 3.1 . In trial 2, the carcasses that had vents plugged and sutured had lower levels of all four types of bacteria (differences of Campylobacter log10 0.7 cfu/mL, coliform log10 1.8, E . coli log10 1.7, and total aerobic bacteria log10 0.5) than those carcasses with open vents . The lower levels of bacteria recovered from carcasses with the vents plugged and sutured during picking enabled detection of small but significant differences between feathered and featherless carcasses . The level of coliform and E . coli recovered was slightly higher by log10 0.7 cfu for feathered carcasses, but featherless carcasses had marginally higher levels of total aerobic bacteria by log10 0.4 cfu . Feathered and featherless carcasses with open vents during picking did not differ in the levels of recovery of coliform, E . coli, and total aerobic bacteria from breast skin.

FEBS Lett, 2003 Nov 6, 554(1-2), 224 - 30
Comparative genome analysis of Campylobacter jejuni using whole genome DNA microarrays; Pearson BM et al.; Whole genome DNA microarrays were constructed and used to investigate genomic diversity in 18 Campylobacter jejuni strains from diverse sources . New algorithms were developed that dynamically determine the boundary between the conserved and variable genes . Seven hypervariable plasticity regions (PR) were identified in the genome (PR1 to PR7) containing 136 genes (50%) of the variable gene pool . When comparisons were made with the sequenced strain NCTC11168, the number of absent or divergent genes ranged from 2.6% (40 genes) to 10.2% (163) and in total 16.3% (269) of the genes were variable . PR1 contains genes important in the utilisation of alternative electron acceptors for respiration and may confer a selective advantage to strains in restricted oxygen environments . PR2, 3 and 7 contain many outer membrane and periplasmic proteins and hypothetical proteins of unknown function that might be linked to phenotypic variation and adaptation to different ecological niches . PR4, 5 and 6 contain genes involved in the production and modification of antigenic surface structures.

Int J Environ Health Res, 2003 Dec, 13(4), 337 - 48
The regionality of campylobacteriosis seasonality in New Zealand; Hearnden M et al.; New Zealand has one of the highest incidences of campylobacteriosis in the developed world, which leads a global trend of increasing notifications of Campylobacter infections over the last decade . Foodborne and waterborne transmission have been implicated as significant mechanisms in the complex ecology of the disease in New Zealand . We examined both regional and temporal variation in notification rates to gain some insight into the role of the New Zealand environments in modifying disease incidence . Firstly, there is a marked difference in the seasonality of campylobacteriosis between the North and South Islands of New Zealand . The Far North and much of the rural North Island were found to display relatively low summer incidence and small inter-seasonal variation . Secondly, there appears to be a dispersed grouping of North Island urban areas, including Auckland, Hamilton, Napier and their hinterlands as well as a few areas on the South Island that exhibit higher summer incidence and more seasonality than the first group . Thirdly, Christchurch, Dunedin, much of the South Island and the lower North Island cities of Wellington and Upper Hutt appear to experience the highest summer incidence and strongest inter-seasonal variation in New Zealand . These three broad groupings of campylobacteriosis seasonality, constructed using a principal components analysis, suggest that the importance of transmission routes may vary regionally in New Zealand . The observed variation in seasonal incidence indicates a complex ecology that is unlikely to be explained by a single dominant transmission route across these three groupings.

J Food Prot, 2003 Oct, 66(10), 1900 - 10
Comparison of Monte Carlo and fuzzy math simulation methods for quantitative microbial risk assessment; Davidson VJ et al.; The objective of food safety risk assessment is to quantify levels of risk for consumers as well as to design improved processing, distribution, and preparation systems that reduce exposure to acceptable limits . Monte Carlo simulation tools have been used to deal with the inherent variability in food systems, but these tools require substantial data for estimates of probability distributions . The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of fuzzy values to represent uncertainty . Fuzzy mathematics and Monte Carlo simulations were compared to analyze the propagation of uncertainty through a number of sequential calculations in two different applications: estimation of biological impacts and economic cost in a general framework and survival of Campylobacter jejuni in a sequence of five poultry processing operations . Estimates of the proportion of a population requiring hospitalization were comparable, but using fuzzy values and interval arithmetic resulted in more conservative estimates of mortality and cost, in terms of the intervals of possible values and mean values, compared to Monte Carlo calculations . In the second application, the two approaches predicted the same reduction in mean concentration (-4 log CFU/ ml of rinse), but the limits of the final concentration distribution were wider for the fuzzy estimate (-3.3 to 5.6 log CFU/ml of rinse) compared to the probability estimate (-2.2 to 4.3 log CFU/ml of rinse) . Interval arithmetic with fuzzy values considered all possible combinations in calculations and maximum membership grade for each possible result . Consequently, fuzzy results fully included distributions estimated by Monte Carlo simulations but extended to broader limits . When limited data defines probability distributions for all inputs, fuzzy mathematics is a more conservative approach for risk assessment than Monte Carlo simulations.

J Food Prot, 2003 Oct, 66(10), 1893 - 9
Consumer food-handling behaviors associated with prevention of 13 foodborne illnesses; Hillers VN et al.; To be effective in reducing the incidence of foodborne illness, consumers and food safety educators need information about behaviors that will decrease exposure to foodborne pathogens . A four-round Delphi technique was used to survey nationally recognized experts in food microbiology, epidemiology, food safety education, and food safety policy with the aim of identifying and ranking food-handling and consumption behaviors associated with 13 major foodborne pathogens . The food safety experts ranked behaviors related to keeping foods at safe temperatures as of primary importance in preventing illness caused by Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens and of secondary importance in preventing illness caused by Staphylococcus aureus . The use of a thermometer to cook foods adequately was ranked as of primary importance for the prevention of illness caused by Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Toxoplasma gondii, and Yersinia enterocolitica, with the avoidance of cross-contamination being ranked as of secondary importance for most of these pathogens . Hand washing was the top-ranked behavior for the prevention of shigellosis . The avoidance of certain foods that are likely to be contaminated was the top-ranked behavior for the prevention of illnesses caused by Listeria monocytogenes, Noroviruses, and Vibrio species . The expert panel's ranking of behaviors for the reduction of the risk of illness caused by major foodborne pathogens can enable consumers to make informed choices about food consumption and handling behaviors and can guide food safety educators in prioritizing their educational efforts.

J Food Prot, 2003 Oct, 66(10), 1811 - 21
Antibacterial activities of phenolic benzaldehydes and benzoic acids against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica; Friedman M et al.; We evaluated the bactericidal activities of 35 benzaldehydes, 34 benzoic acids, and 1 benzoic acid methyl ester against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica when these compounds were substituted on the benzene ring with 0, 1, 2, or 3 hydroxy (OH) and/or methoxy (OCH3) groups in a pH 7.0 buffer . Dose-response plots were used to determine the percentage of the sample that induced a 50% decrease in CFU after 60 min (BA50) . Of the 70 compounds tested, 24 were found to be active against all four pathogens, and additional 4, 10, and 12 were found to be active against three, two, and one of the pathogens, respectively . C . jejuni was approximately 100 times as sensitive as the other three pathogens . The 10 compounds that were most active against the four pathogens (with average BA50 values ranging from 0.026 to 0.166) and are candidates for studies of activity in foods or for disinfections were 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzaldehyde, 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-2,6-dimethoxybenzaldehyde, 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde . and 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde . Comparison of the chemical structures of the test compounds and their activities revealed that (i) the aldehyde (CHO) group was more active than the carboxyl (COOH) group whether or not OH groups were present; (ii) compounds were most active with trisubstituted OH > disubstituted OH > monosubstituted OH; (iii) for disubstituted derivatives, 2-OH enhanced activities were exhibited by benzaldehyde but not by benzoic acid; (iv) compounds were more active with OH than with OCH3, irrespective of the position of substitution on the benzene ring; (v) compounds with mixed OH and OCH3 groups exhibited variable results, i.e., in some cases OCH3 groups enhanced activity and in other cases they did not; (vi) methoxybenzoic acids were largely inactive; and (vii) gallic acid was 20 times as active against S . enterica at pH 7.0 as it was at pH 3.7, suggesting that the ionization of its OH groups may enhance bactericidal activity.

J Food Prot, 2003 Oct, 66(10), 1752 - 5
Development of a selective broth medium for the detection of injured Campylobacter jejuni by capacitance monitoring; Line JE et al.; The purpose of these studies was to develop a conductimetric method for the rapid detection of Campylobacter jejuni . Numerous basal medium components were analyzed to develop a growth-enhancing broth medium for detection of freeze-injured Campylobacter cells using a conductimetric system . The final medium was composed of a modified Campy-Line agar from which the agar and triphenyltetrazolium chloride were removed and the amino acid, L-arginine was added . Pure isolates of C . jejuni . (frozen and thawed to produce stressed cells) were utilized to test the detection methodology . Monitoring of significant changes in the capacitance signal was found suitable for detection of Campylobacter proliferation . Using stressed pure cultures, Campylobacter growth was repeatedly detected at very low inoculum levels (about one cell per well) . There was a direct linear relationship between detection times (DTs) and the initial inoculum level . For example, using a single strain, the mean DT (n = 20) at the 10 CFU/ml inoculum level was 28.6 h, with 100% of the inoculated wells detecting . The mean DTs at the 100, 1,000, and 10,000 CFU/ml inoculum levels were 24.9, 21.4, and 17.0 h, respectively . This study demonstrates that conductimetric methods can be utilized for the rapid detection of C . jejuni.

Anal Chem, 2003 Aug 1, 75(15), 3890 - 7
Immobilized enzyme-linked DNA-hybridization assay with electrochemical detection for Cryptosporidium parvum hsp70 mRNA; Aguilar ZP et al.; An electrochemical enzyme-linked immobilized DNA-hybridization assay for the detection of Cryptosporidium parvum in water has been developed . The target molecule was a 121-nucleotide sequence from the C . parvum heat shock protein 70 (hsp70 mRNA from U71181 gene) . This analyte offers the possibility of distinguishing dead from live oocysts . The assay involves covalent attachment of a primary DNA probe via its 5'-amine-terminus to self-assembled monolayers of mercaptoundecanoic acid to a gold surface . The primary DNA probe was used to capture the target (sequence 1039-1082 of U71181 gene for the mRNA), by hybridization to a 20-base complementary sequence on the target (at sequence 1063-1082) . A secondary DNA probe labeled with alkaline phosphatase (AP) was then hybridized to base sequence 1039-1062 on the target . p-Aminophenol, which is enzymatically generated by the immobilized AP from p-aminophenyl phosphate (PAPP), is detected using electrochemistry . The peak current of cyclic voltammograms from a PAPP solution, in which gold-coated silicon wafer modified with the complete assembly of the assay components was incubated, is linear with concentration of the target (5-50 microg/mL, where P1 and P2-AP concentrations are 50 microg/mL) . A detection limit of 2 microg/mL (or 146 nM) of the DNA target was obtained . Cross-reactivity tests showed high selectivity for heat-shocked C . parvum . No signal was obtained for either the synthetic DNA for hsp70 of Campylobacter lari, Escherichia coli, Giardia lamblia, Salmonella typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes or for the products of heat-shocked whole organisms of E . coli, G . lamblia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Cryptosporidium muris.

Med J Malaysia, 2002 Mar, 57(1), 24 - 30
Bacterial enteropathogens isolated in childhood diarrhoea in Kuala Lumpur--the changing trend; Lee WS et al.; A retrospective review of all stool samples obtained from children aged < 16 years with diarrhoea from University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, from 1978 to 1997 was undertaken to ascertain the pattern of bacterial pathogens causing diarrhoea in children in an urban area in Malaysia . Of 26444 stool samples processed, 2989 (11%) were positive . The five most common bacterial pathogens isolated were non-typhoidal Salmonella (57%), enteropathogenic E . coli (EPEC) (14%), Shigella spp . (11%), Campylobacter spp . (5%) and Aeromonas spp . (4%) . There was a significant reduction in the average percentage of positive isolation during the last 5 years of the study period as compared to the first 5 years (15.0% vs . 7.2%; r = -0.92, p = 0.0001) . EPEC and Shigella spp . were less commonly isolated in the last five years compared with the first five years of the study (6% vs 21% p < 0.001 for E . coli; 7% vs 22%, p < 0.001 for Shigella spp.) . This information is important for public health education in reducing the incidence of childhood diarrhoea further, and in the selection of appropriate antimicrobials in the management of extra-intestinal complications of childhood diarrhoea.

Pesqui Odontol Bras, 2003 Apr-Jun, 17(2), 142 - 6 Epub 2003 Oct 10.
A 16S rDNA-based nested PCR protocol to detect Campylobacter gracilis in oral infections; Siqueira Junior JF et al.; The aim of this study was to describe a 16S rDNA-based nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assay to investigate the occurrence of Campylobacter gracilis in oral infections . Samples were collected from ten infected root canals, ten cases of acute periradicular abscesses and eight cases of adult marginal periodontitis . DNA extracted from the samples was initially amplified using universal 16S rDNA primers . A second round of amplification used the first PCR products to detect C . gracilis using oligonucleotide primers designed from species-specific 16S rDNA signature sequences . The nPCR assay used in this study showed a detection limit of 10 C . gracilis cells and no cross-reactivity was observed with nontarget bacteria . C . gracilis was detected in the three types of oral infections investigated - 4/10 infected root canals; 2/10 acute periradicular abscesses; and 1/8 subgingival specimens from adult periodontitis . The method proposed in this study showed both high sensitivity and high specificity to directly detect C . gracilis in samples from root canal infections, abscesses, and subgingival plaque . Our findings confirmed that C . gracilis may be a member of the microbiota associated with distinct oral infections, and its specific role in such diseases requires further clarification.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1999 Dec 1, 215(11), 1601 - 4
Prevalence of Campylobacter spp isolated from the intestinal tract of pigs raised in an integrated swine production system; Harvey RB et al.; OBJECTIVE: To enumerate the prevalence of Campylobacter isolates in the intestinal tract of market-weight swine raised in an integrated swine operation in Texas . SAMPLE POPULATION: Samples of cecal contents were collected from 595 pigs (mean body weight, 110 kg {242 lb}) at time of slaughter . Pigs were off-spring of Yorkshire-Landrace sows and Duroc or Hampshire boars . Pigs originated from 4 farrow-to-finish farms . PROCEDURE: During a 9-month period, visits were made to a slaughter plant to remove cecal contents from market-weight hogs . Samples were obtained from 50 pigs/visit from designated farms so that samples were obtained 3 times from pigs of each of 4 farms . Isolation of Campylobacter spp was accomplished by use of enrichment broth and restrictive media, using microaerophilic conditions . RESULTS: Campylobacter spp were isolated from 70 to 100% of the pigs, depending on the farm and the date the samples were collected . Campylobacter coli was isolated from 20 to 100% (mean, 60%) of samples, and C jejuni was isolated from 0 to 76% (mean, 31%) of samples . Campylobacter lari was isolated from 2 pigs . Concentrations of C coli or C jejuni ranged from 10(3) to 10(7) colony-forming units/g of cecal content . CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Campylobacter coli generally is accepted as a common inhabitant of the intestinal tract of swine . However, analysis of results of this study suggests that a relatively high prevalence of C jejuni may be found in pigs raised on specific farms.

Avian Dis, 2003 Jul-Sep, 47(3), 753 - 8
Failure of viable nonculturable Campylobacter jejuni to colonize the cecum of newly hatched leghorn chicks; Ziprin RL et al.; Campylobacter jejuni cells entered the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state upon suspension in sterile water . Cell viability was determined with tetrazolium violet . VBNC cells suspended in water for 7, 10, or 14 days were given, by gavage, to day-of-hatch leghorn chickens . The ceca of control and challenged birds were examined for the presence of campylobacteria by conventional microbiological methods at 1 wk and 2 wk after challenge inoculation and by polymerase chain reaction methods at 1 wk after challenge . We did not find culturable Campylobacter cells in the ceca . Neither was Campylobacter DNA found in cecal samples . Therefore, VBNC cells did not revert to the culturable colonizing form, nor did VBNC cells persist within the cecal environment.

Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 2003 Sep, 110(9), 354 - 7
{Outlook for control of current zoonoses in swine--an issue on consumer health protection}; von Altrock A et al.; With the development of a uniform European strategy for the control of zoonoses the European Commission has placed the main emphasis on the protection of consumer health . This direction is clearly marked by the White Paper on Food Safety and the attached proposals for directives and regulations . The present article considers the peculiarities of the epidemiological situation of the agents Campylobacter spp . and Yersinia enterocolitica in pork production . The situation of zoonoses in Europe is used as an opportunity to present the distinctive characteristics of these agents, results of epidemiological studies available, and the risk to consumer health in light of the literature . For the approaching transfer of the responsibility for food safety to the primary producers, i.e . the farmers, the most interesting data concern the prevalence, distribution and risk factors . But as there is a strong need for clarification of further questions about the main ways of entry of these agents on farms and into the production chain before a successful preventive strategy can be developed on pig farms, these issues are considered in more detail here.

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2003 Nov, 15(11), 1195 - 201
Cellular turnover of normal gastrointestinal epithelium assessed by changes in telomeric: total DNA signal ratios; Craig WL et al.; OBJECTIVES: The reasons why different areas of gastrointestinal mucosa exhibit widely different rates of malignant change are still poorly understood . Malignancy rates rise markedly with age . We therefore hypothesised that rates of malignant change might correlate with rates of ageing as judged by stem cell turnover . Telomeric DNA is lost with each cell division and so acts as a measure of the number of cell divisions undergone by stem cells . We measured telomeric:total DNA signal ratios in normal gastric (Helicobacter pylori-positive and H . pylori-negative), duodenal and colonic mucosa to see whether ratios correlated with propensity to malignancy . PATIENTS: Subjects undergoing diagnostic upper (n = 93) or lower (n = 45) gastrointestinal endoscopy, whose mucosa appeared macroscopically normal, sampled over a wide age range . METHODS: DNA was extracted from paired blood and mucosal samples (colonic or gastric and duodenal) . Telomere length was assessed by dot blot hybridisation with an oligonucleotide-containing telomeric sequence compared with the signal obtained from total genomic DNA . Helicobacter status was assessed by Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test and serologically . RESULTS: Telomeric signal ratios were scattered, but correlated within individuals . The ratios tended to decrease with age but the rates of decrease did not correlate with rates of malignant change . Gastric tissue had the shortest ratios and duodenal ratios decreased fastest . CONCLUSIONS: The telomeric signal ratios did not suggest any obvious basis for differential rates of disease especially malignancy . Infection with H . pylori was not associated with lower gastric telomere ratios.

Vet Microbiol, 2003 Oct 30, 96(3), 267 - 76
Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter from broilers: association with production type and antimicrobial use; Avrain L et al.; The isolation and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains from broilers arriving in French slaughterhouses, were analysed according to production types (i.e . standard, export or free-range) and antimicrobial (i.e . coccidiostats, growth promoters or therapeutic agents) administration in flocks . Prevalence was 56.6% in standard, 51.3% in export and 80.0% in free-range broilers . Three hundred and ninety-three strains were identified . Two-thirds of the strains belonged to the species C . jejuni . The others were C . coli . Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out for ampicillin, nalidixic acid, enrofloxacin, tetracycline, erythromycin and gentamicin according to a dilution method . The percentages of resistant strains were, 23, 25, 17, 57, 0.3 and 0% for C . jejuni and 29, 43, 40, 70, 31 and 0% for C . coli . Statistical analysis revealed significant difference in distribution of C . jejuni and C . coli and antimicrobial resistance according to production type or antimicrobial administration.

Neurology, 2003 Oct 14, 61(7), 994 - 6
Gammadelta T cell non-responsiveness in Campylobacter jejuni-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome patients; Van Rhijn I et al.; To seek evidence for a role of molecular mimicry in the induction of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), the authors studied Campylobacter jejuni-reactive T lymphocytes in patients with GBS . In contrast to controls, gammadelta T cells of patients with GBS with antecedent C jejuni infections failed to respond to C jejuni . Supplementing cell cultures with the cytokines interleukin-2 or interleukin-15 resulted in restoration of the gammadelta T cell proliferative response . Gammadelta T cell non-responsiveness may lead to defective regulation of antibody production, and in this way an (auto)immune response against ganglioside-like epitopes on peripheral nerve may cause GBS.

Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr, 2003 Aug, 110(8), 312 - 5
{Microbial risks--from animal farming to the food}; Fehlhaber K; Microorganisms by far are representing the most important cause for food safety risks . Sources of food contamination are given along the whole food chain . The most frequent causative agents of food infections, Salmonella and Campylobacter, mostly can be found in the animals herds . A real improvement of the situation can only be reached by a strong inclusion of the agricultural area in the programs for repressing the pathogens . Problems in animal health and premortal stress of the slaughter animals cause considerable bacterial translocation processes and increase the consumer risks . Only few publications exist on the influence of the animal farming systems on the development of microbial food risks . The consumer accepts only animal management systems, which meet the demands for animal welfare, economical efficiency and especially the demand for product safety.

Adv Exp Med Biol, 2001, 491, 525 - 42
Molecular mimicry of host structures by lipooligosaccharides of Neisseria meningitidis: characterization of sialylated and nonsialylated lacto-N-neotetraose (Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) structures in lipooligosaccharides using monoclonal antibodies and specific lectins; Tsai CM; Neisseria meningitidis lipooligosaccharides (LOSs) are classified into 12 immunotypes . Most LOSs are heterogeneous in having a few components by SDS-PAGE analysis that differ antigenically and chemically . We have utilized a monoclonal antibody that recognizes lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) and the lectin, Maackia amurensis leukoagglutinin (MAL), which is specific for NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc trisacchride sequence to characterize the 12 N . meningitidis LOSs . Using the combination of ELISA, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and other chemical analyses, we have shown that the LNnT (Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) sequence was present in the 4.0-kDa LOS components of seven immunotype LOSs seen on SDS-PAGE . Six of the seven LNnT-containing LOSs also bound the MAL lectin indicating that N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) was alpha2,3-linked to the LNnT sequence in the LOSs . Sialylation of the terminal Gal of LNnT-containing 4.0-kDa component caused only a slight increase in its apparent MW to 4100 on SDS-PAGE . The one LOS with the LNnT-containing component, but not MAL-binding, was from a Group A N . meningitidis, which does not synthesize CMP-NeuNAc, the substrate needed for LOS sialylation . Thus, it is concluded (1) a common LNnT sequence is present in seven immunotype LOSs in addition to their immunotype epitopes, and (2) NeuNAc is alpha2 --> 3 linked to the terminal Gal of LNnT if a organism synthesizes CMP-NeuNAc such as Groups B and C organisms . The above conclusions are consistent with the published structures of N . meningitidis LOSs . The results also demonstrate that specific carbohydrate-binding lectins and monoclonal antibodies can be used as simple yet effective tools to characterize specific carbohydrate sequences in a bacterial LOS or LPS such as N . meningitidis LOS . It is intriguing that N . meningitidis LOSs mimic certain glycosphingolipids, such as paragloboside (LNnT-ceramide) and sialylparagloboside, and some glycoproteins of the host in having LNnT and N-acetyllactosamine sequences respectively with or without alpha2 --> 3 linked NeuNAc . Epidemiological studies of N . meningitidis suggest that the molecular mimicry of host structures by its LOS plays a role in the pathogenesis of N . meningitidis by helping the organism to evade host immune defenses in man . The molecular mimicry of host structures by LOS or LPS is also found in other human pathogens such as N . gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus ducreyi, H . influenaze, Moraxella catarrhalis, Campylobacter jejuni, and Helicobacter pylori.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Oct, 41(10), 4870 - 2
Temporal and geographical distribution and overlap of Penner heat-stable serotypes and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotypes of Campylobacter jejuni isolates collected from humans and chickens in Finland during a seasonal peak; Karenlampi R et al.; The association of Penner heat-stable serotypes and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotypes of 208 human and 30 chicken Campylobacter jejuni isolates was studied . Overall, 46% of the human strains had overlapping sero- and genotype combinations with chicken strains . The percentage was reduced to 31% for strains that were considered temporally related . This suggests common environmental sources.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Oct, 41(10), 4733 - 9
Utility of multilocus sequence typing as an epidemiological tool for investigation of outbreaks of gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter jejuni; Sails AD et al.; Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) has been proven useful for the study of the global population structure of Campylobacter jejuni; however, its usefulness for the investigation of outbreaks of disease caused by C . jejuni has not been proven . In this study, MLST plus sequencing of the flaA short variable region (SVR) were applied to 47 isolates from 12 outbreaks of C . jejuni infection whose relatedness has been determined previously, and the results were compared to those of serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) . Isolates implicated in an outbreak were indistinguishable by all four subtyping methods, with sporadic isolates being distinguished from outbreak isolates . Two sporadic isolates from one outbreak were resistant to SmaI digestion and therefore nontypeable by PFGE but were differentiated from the outbreak strain by the other methods . PFGE and flaA SVR typing were the most discriminatory methods, with discriminatory indices (DI) of 0.930 and 0.923, respectively . However, an epidemic strain from one outbreak was distinguished from the other outbreak isolates by flaA SVR typing; its flaA allele was different at five nucleotides, suggesting that this change was possibly mediated by recombination . MLST was less discriminatory than PFGE and flaA SVR typing (DI = 0.859), and many of the epidemic strains possessed common sequence types (STs) including ST-8, -21, -22, and -42 . However, further discrimination within STs was achieved by flaA SVR typing or PFGE . The results from this study demonstrate that a combined approach of MLST plus flaA SVR typing provides a level of discrimination equivalent to PFGE for outbreak investigations.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Oct, 69(10), 6316 - 20
Comparison of Campylobacter isolates from poultry and humans: association between in vitro virulence properties, biotypes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis clusters; Nadeau E et al.; The in vitro virulence properties of 197 temporally and geographically related Campylobacter isolates from chicken broilers and humans were compared . Comparisons of the virulence properties associated with genotypes and biotypes were made . All isolates adhered to, and 63% invaded, INT-407 cells, whereas 13% were cytotoxic for CHO cells . CHO cell-cytotoxic extracts were also cytotoxic for INT-407 cells, but the sensitivity for Vero cells was variable . The proportion of isolates demonstrating a high invasiveness potential (>1,000 CFU ml(-1)) or Vero cell cytotoxicity was significantly higher for human than for poultry isolates . Invasiveness was associated with Campylobacter jejuni isolates of biotypes 1 and 2, whereas CHO and INT-407 cell cytotoxicity was associated with C . jejuni isolates of biotypes 3 and 4 . Cytotoxic isolates were also clustered according to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Oct, 69(10), 6302 - 6
Application of host-specific bacteriophages to the surface of chicken skin leads to a reduction in recovery of Campylobacter jejuni; Atterbury RJ et al.; Retail poultry products are widely purported as the major infection vehicle for human campylobacteriosis . Numerous intervention strategies have sought to reduce Campylobacter contamination on broiler carcasses in the abattoir . This study reports the efficacy of bacteriophage in reducing the number of recoverable Campylobacter jejuni cells on artificially contaminated chicken skin.

Cell Microbiol, 2003 Nov, 5(11), 835 - 47
Invasion of human epithelial cells by Campylobacter upsaliensis; Mooney A et al.; Few data exist on the interaction of Campylobacter upsaliensis with host cells, and the potential for this emerging enteropathogen to invade epithelial cells has not been explored . We have characterized the ability of C . upsaliensis to invade both cultured epithelial cell lines and primary human small intestinal cells . Epithelial cell lines of intestinal origin appeared to be more susceptible to invasion than non-intestinal-derived cells . Of three bacterial isolates studied, a human clinical isolate, CU1887, entered cells most efficiently . Although there was a trend towards more efficient invasion of Caco-2 cells by C . upsaliensis CU1887 at lower initial inocula, actual numbers of intracellular organisms increased with increasing multiplicity of infection and with prolonged incubation period . Confocal microscopy revealed C . upsaliensis within primary human small intestinal cells . Both Caco-2 and primary cells in non-confluent areas of the infected monolayers were substantially more susceptible to infection than confluent cells . The specific cytoskeletal inhibitors cytochalasin B, cytochalasin D and vinblastine attenuated invasion of Caco-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, providing evidence for both microtubule- and microfilament-dependent uptake of C . upsaliensis . Electron microscopy revealed the presence of organisms within Caco-2 cell cytoplasmic vacuoles . C . upsaliensis is capable of invading epithelial cells and appears to interact with host cell cytoskeletal structures in order to gain entry to the intracellular environment . Entry into cultured primary intestinal cells ex vivo provides strong support for the role of host cell invasion during human enteric C . upsaliensis infection.

J Microbiol Methods, 2003 Nov, 55(2), 475 - 9
A 6 x 6 drop plate method for simultaneous colony counting and MPN enumeration of Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli; Chen CY et al.; A protocol was developed using 96-well plates and multichannel pipettes for serial dilutions, followed by drop plating on agar in a 6 x 6 format . This protocol permits simultaneous plating of six dilutions which greatly decreases the number of plates utilized thereby saving incubator space for organisms such as Campylobacter which require unique environmental conditions.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2003 Nov 1, 87(3), 271 - 8
Comparison of the BAX System with a multiplex PCR method for simultaneous detection and identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in environmental samples; Manfreda G et al.; The Campylobacter detection is performed by conventional culture methods and the identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli is principally based on the hippurate hydrolysis test . The two major drawbacks of this biochemical test for species identification include the inconsistency of the results and the presence of atypical strains, which can lead to the misidentification of an isolate . As an alternative, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) protocols for the simultaneous detection and identification of different Campylobacter species have been developed . This study examined the performances of an experimental BAX System assay for the C . jejuni and C . coli identification in comparison to a multiplex PCR protocol recently published . The samples tested were represented by 106 environmental swabs collected on Teflon strips and tables, stainless steel saws, hooks and trays, ceramic floors and walls, as well as equipment surfaces, located in a swine (N=50) and a poultry (N=56) slaughterhouse . The highest Campylobacter detection rate was obtained after 48 h of enrichment by using both the PCR procedures . After 24 h, the BAX System provides a more rapid and accurate Campylobacter detection and identification assay than the multiplex PCR . Except for two samples, all the broths where Campylobacter cells were detected after 24 or 48 h of enrichment, with at least one of the PCR protocols, gave Campylobacter colonies using the culture method.

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol, 2003 Oct 15, 38(3), 265 - 71
Application of real-time PCR for quantitative detection of Campylobacter jejuni in poultry, milk and environmental water; Yang C et al.; Campylobacter jejuni is a leading human food-borne pathogen . The rapid and sensitive detection of C . jejuni is necessary for the maintenance of a safe food/water supply . In this article, we present a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for quantitative detection of C . jejuni in naturally contaminated poultry, milk and environmental samples without an enrichment step . The whole assay can be completed in 60 min with a detection limit of approximately 1 CFU . The standard curve correlation coefficient for the threshold cycle versus the copy number of initial C . jejuni cells was 0.988 . To test the PCR system, a set of 300 frozen chicken meat samples, 300 milk samples and 300 water samples were screened for the presence of C . jejuni . 30.6% (92/300) of chicken meat samples, 27.3% (82/300) of milk samples, and 13.6% (41/300) of water samples tested positive for C . jejuni . This result indicated that the real-time PCR assay provides a specific, sensitive and rapid method for quantitative detection of C . jejuni . Moreover, it is concluded that retail chicken meat, raw milk and environmental water are commonly contaminated with C . jejuni and could serve as a potential risk for consumers in eastern China, especially if proper hygienic and cooking conditions are not maintained.

Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2003 Oct, 22(4), 374 - 9
Simultaneous detection of mutations associated with resistance to macrolides and quinolones in Campylobacter jejuni and C . coli using a PCR-line probe assay; Niwa H et al.; Quinolone and macrolide resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli mainly depend on a mutation in gyrA and in 23S rDNA, respectively . In order to detect quinolone and/or macrolide resistant C . jejuni and C . coli strains, a macrolide and quinolone line probe assay (MQ-LiPA) was developed and 42 C . jejuni and C . coli strains were tested to evaluate the efficiency of the assay . Profiles of the mutations in 23S rDNA and in gyrA characterized by MQ-LiPA agreed with resistance to macrolides and quinolones . MQ-LiPA is a rapid and simple method for simultaneous detection of quinolone and macrolide resistance of C . jejuni and C . coli . We could also discriminate between C . jejuni and C . coli using probes for detection of gyrA mutations in MQ-LiPA.

Vet Microbiol, 2003 Oct 8, 96(1), 35 - 40
Disinfectant susceptibility testing of avian and swine Campylobacter isolates by a filtration method; Avrain L et al.; The susceptibility testing of disinfectants against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli strains from broilers and pigs was investigated . The filtration method European standard EN 1040 was adapted to Campylobacter cultures and validated with reference strains . Two disinfectants were tested: 1% benzalkonium chloride active matter, as quaternary ammonium compound, and 0.63% sodium hypochlorite as chlorine-releasing agent . Both disinfectants were effective against the 34 Campylobacter strains tested after 5 min exposure under in vitro conditions . No link between resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics could be observed.

Scand J Infect Dis, 2003, 35(8), 478 - 81
Antibiotic resistance among Campylobacter jejuni/coli strains acquired in Sweden and abroad: a longitudinal study; Osterlund A et al.; Antibiotic resistance was compared in 844 Campylobacter jejuni/coli strains acquired outside Sweden and 575 acquired in Sweden during 1990-2002 . There was a clear gradual increase in ciprofloxacin and tetracycline resistance among C . jejuni/coli strains acquired outside Sweden during the 13 y period . This trend was not seen for erythromycin or in domestically acquired strains for any of the 3 antibiotics tested.

APMIS, 2003 Sep, 111(9), 843 - 7
Strong associations between gene function and codon usage; Fuglsang A; The association between codon usage and gene function was analyzed in the complete genomes of Eschericia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Lactococcus lactis and Campylobacter jejuni, using the functional annotation provided by NCBI . Two distinctly different ways of quantifying codon usage were used in the analysis . By using contingency tables it was found that for most amino acids a highly significant association with gene function exists for all species, indicating that codon usage at the level of individual amino acids is generally closely coordinated with gene function . By computing the effective number of codons in the annotated genes and comparing the median values in groups of different gene functions it was shown for all species that codon bias gene by gene also differs.

Commun Dis Intell, 2003, 27(3), 380 - 3
An outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infection among conference delegates; Raupach JC et al.; Campylobacter infection is one of the most commonly reported foodborne diseases in Australia however, reported Campylobacter outbreaks are rare . This report describes such an outbreak among delegates attending a 10 day international academic meeting in South Australia during May 2001 . A retrospective cohort study of the 29 delegates who attended the conference was conducted . A questionnaire was sent by email with a response rate of 93 per cent . Ten cases (onset of diarrhoea while attending the conference) were identified . Two were culture positive for Campylobacter jejuni . There was a significant association between the illness and eating a number of food items from two restaurants however, environmental investigation of the two venues did not identify a definitive source for the outbreak . This investigation demonstrates the usefulness of email in the distribution of questionnaires among specific cohorts.

Vet Res Commun, 2003 Jul, 27(5), 359 - 69
Aetiology of bovine abortion in Argentina; Campero CM et al.; Necropsies were performed on 354 fetuses from dairy and beef herds submitted from 1994 to 2000 to the diagnostic laboratories at Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria, Balcarce, Argentina . Samples from the fetuses were examined for pathogenic organisms and processed for microscopic examination . An aetiological diagnosis was made for 161 (45.5%) of the fetuses . No diagnosis was made for 193 (54.5%) fetuses . Infectious agents were isolated from 122 (34.4%) of the fetuses, bacterial agents being involved in 80 (22.6%) of these . The most common bacterial agents isolated from the fetuses were Brucella abortus in 28 fetuses, Campylobacter fetus in 26 cases, and Escherichia coli in 9 cases . Bovine herpesvirus and bovine viral diarrhoea virus were found in 9 and 6 cases, respectively . Neospora caninum was detected by an immunohistochemical technique in 26 cases (7.3%) . Congenital abnormalities, dystocia and mummifications were found in 8, 19 and 11 cases, respectively.

Fukuoka Igaku Zasshi, 2003 Jul, 94(7), 225 - 34
{Pathogenesis of Campylobacter fetus infection}; Fujimoto S; Campylobacter fetus subsp . fetus is a zoonotic pathogen and cause opportunistic systemic infection in human who either are pregnant or have an underlying illness . Crystalline surface layer (S-layer), an external structure on the outer membrane is the prime virulence factor of this organism . S-layer is responsible for resistance to both leukocyte phagocytosis and the bactericidal effects of human serum . Antigenic variation of C . fetus surface antigen during infection also help the organism to escape from host immune-system and it is due to variation in the expression of the S-layer proteins (SLPs) . C . fetus has multiple SLP-encoding genes and control the expression with inversion of a DNA segment containing the SLP promoter and/or homologous recombination.

J Food Prot, 2003 Sep, 66(9), 1724 - 6
Detection and enumeration of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli by indirect impedimetry with an oxygen scavenging system; Falahee MB et al.; Six strains of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli were shown to grow in a variety of media, but, with one exception, they were unable to produce sufficient change in the electrical properties of the medium to allow their detection by impedance monitoring . With the use of an indirect method based on absorption of evolved carbon dioxide and a medium containing the oxygen scavenger Oxyrase, all strains were detectable, and correlations between time to detection and the logarithm of the inoculum level were excellent . The level of interstrain variation was sufficiently low that all data could be consolidated into a single calibration curve (r = 0.987).

J Food Prot, 2003 Sep, 66(9), 1720 - 3
Comparison of weep and carcass rinses for recovery of Campylobacter from retail broiler carcasses; Musgrove MT et al.; Campylobacter is frequently recovered from broiler carcasses . Carcass rinsing is a commonly used procedure for isolating Campylobacter from poultry . A viscous fluid, or weep, exudes from broiler carcasses that have been packaged . This fluid can contain bacteria that were attached to the carcass and represents a potential means of detecting Campylobacter-contaminated carcasses through cultural analysis . Experiments were conducted to compare the efficacy of a weep sampling method with that of a carcass rinse method . For both trials, retail carcasses were purchased . Packages were opened, and 0.1-ml aliquots of weep fluid from the retail packages were plated onto Campy-cefex agar . Carcasses were removed from the package and rinsed in 100 ml of sterile water . Next, 0.1-ml aliquots of the rinsate were plated onto Campy-cefex agar and incubated . In a second experiment, samples were both directly plated and enriched in Bolton enrichment broth . In the first experiment, 35 of 60 carcass rinses tested positive for Campylobacter, while 29 of 60 weep samples yielded Campylobacter isolates with levels of 1.0 and 1.1 log CFU/ml, respectively . In the second experiment, Campylobacter was recovered from 9 of 40 rinse samples and from 13 of 40 weep samples by direct plating, while the organism was recovered from 28 of 40 rinses samples and from 23 of 40 carcass samples by enrichment . There was no significant difference between the two methods with respect to Campylobacter prevalence as determined by the chi-square test . Campylobacter levels recovered by both methods averaged 0.9 log CFU/ml . The sampling of weep fluid was a simple, effective means of detecting this important human enteropathogen on broiler carcasses.

J Food Prot, 2003 Sep, 66(9), 1587 - 94
Survival and persistence of Campylobacter and Salmonella species under various organic loads on food contact surfaces; De Cesare A et al.; Although many cases of Campylobacter and Salmonella enteritis have been attributed to the undercooking of poultry and other foods, cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods via food contact surfaces and worker contact has also been identified as a significant risk factor . Cross-contamination may be particularly important in relation to the high prevalence of contamination in raw poultry products and other foods and the low infectious doses that have been reported for Campylobacter species . Lag phase and decimal reduction times (D-values at 27 degrees C {81 degrees F} and 60 to 62% relative humidity) were determined for Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella species (five-strain pools) suspended in either a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution or Trypticase soy broth (TSB) and then inoculated (0.1-ml drop per surface) on 5-cm2 samples of Formica laminate (F), glazed ceramic tile (CT), 304 polished stainless steel (SS), and 100% cotton dishcloth (D) . Triplicate samples were collected from each contact surface periodically, and the populations of surviving organisms were enumerated on Campy Cefex and brain heart infusion agars for C . jejuni and Salmonella species, respectively . Lag time and rate of inactivation were influenced by organism type, contact surface, and suspending medium . Initial mean lag times ranging from 60 to 190 min were followed by log-linear (r2 > 0.94) decreases in cell populations that varied across contact surfaces . D-values of 12.5, 19.1, 24.1, and 29.7 min and of 23.7, 10.5, 12.7, and 13.9 min were calculated for C . jejuni suspended in PBS and TSB and then spotted on D, F, SS, and CT surfaces, respectively . The times required to produce a 3-log reduction in population with PBS and TSB ranged from 102 (D) to 247 (F) min and from 112 (CT) to 167 (F) min, respectively . C . jejuni cells suspended in the nutritionally enriched medium (TSB) and spotted on the hard surfaces were inactivated about 1.4 times as fast as cells suspended in PBS . For the Salmonella test strains, D-values of 17.1, 426.6, 118.6, and 41.9 min and of 48.2, 1363.2, 481.8, and 134.2 min were calculated for cells suspended in PBS and TSB and then spotted on D, E SS, and CT surfaces, respectively . In contrast to C . jejuni, Salmonella serotypes were 1.7 to 3.3 times more persistent when suspended in TSB than when suspended in PBS and were 1.2 to 25.3 times more persistent than C . jejuni, depending on the contact surface and the type of suspension fluid (i.e., overall time required to achieve a 3-log reduction in population, lag time + 3 x D) . These findings indicate that both the contact surface and the level of organic matter can influence the survival and persistence of C . jejuni and Salmonella species on food contact surfaces.

J Food Prot, 2003 Sep, 66(9), 1581 - 6
Microbiological quality of open ready-to-eat salad vegetables: effectiveness of food hygiene training of management; Sagoo SK et al.; During September and October 2001, a microbiological study of open, ready-to-eat, prepared salad vegetables from catering or retail premises was undertaken to determine their microbiological quality . The study focused on those salad vegetables that were unwrapped and handled either by staff or customers in the premises where the sample was taken . Examination of salad vegetables from food service areas and customer self-service bars revealed that most (97%; 2,862 of 2,950) were of satisfactory or acceptable microbiological quality, 3% (87) were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality because of Escherichia coli levels in the range of 10(2) to 10(5) colony-forming units per gram . One (<1%) sample was of unacceptable microbiological quality because of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes at 840 colony-forming units per gram . The pathogens E . coli O157, Campylobacter spp., and salmonellas were not detected in any of the samples examined . The display area for most food service and preparation areas (95%) and self-service salad bars (98%) that were visited was judged to be visibly clean by the sampling officer . Most self-service bars (87%) were regularly supervised or inspected by staff during opening hours, and designated serving utensils were used in most salad bars (92%) but in only a minority of food service areas (35%) . A hazard analysis system was in place in most (80%) premises, and in 61%, it was documented . Most (90%) managers had received food hygiene training . A direct relationship was shown between increased confidence in the food business management and the presence of food safety procedures and the training of management in food hygiene.

J Food Prot, 2003 Sep, 66(9), 1550 - 6
Prevalence of Campylobacter within a swine slaughter and processing facility; Pearce RA et al.; In this work, the occurrence of Campylobacter in a swine slaughter and processing facility was studied . Thirty composite carcass samples, representing 360 swine carcasses, were taken immediately after exsanguination, immediately after polishing, after the final wash, and after overnight chilling at 2 degrees C . Thirty matching composite rectal samples were also taken immediately after exsanguination, and 60 nonmatching individual colon samples were collected from the same lot of swine during evisceration . Also, 72 environmental samples were collected from equipment used in the slaughter operation (42 samples) and the processing operation (30 samples) . Campylobacter was isolated by direct plating on Campy-Line agar (CLA) or Campy-Cefex agar (CCA), as well as by Bolton broth enrichment and subsequent inoculation onto CLA or CCA . For all four recovery methods combined, Campylobacter was detected on 33% (10 of 30) of the composite carcasses immediately after exsanguination, 0% (0 of 30) after polishing, 7% (2 of 30) immediately before chilling, and 0% (0 of 30) after overnight chilling . The pathogen was recovered from 100% (30 of 30) of the composite rectal samples and 80% (48 of 60) of the individual colon samples . Campylobacter was detected in 4.8% (2 of 42) and 3.3% (1 of 30) of the slaughter and processing equipment samples, respectively . The recovery rate achieved with direct plating on CLA was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those achieved with the other three recovery methods . For the 202 isolates recovered from all of the various samples tested, Campylobacter coli was the predominant species (75%) and was followed by Campylobacter spp . (24%) and Campylobacter jejuni (1%) . These results indicate that although Campylobacter is highly prevalent in the intestinal tracts of swine arriving at the slaughter facility, this microorganism does not progress through the slaughtering operation and is not detectable on carcasses after overnight chilling.

Curr Opin Infect Dis, 2003 Oct, 16(5), 487 - 91
Recent developments in Campylobacter pathogenesis; Bereswill S et al.; PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Campylobacter species jejuni and coli are leading causes of enteritis and enterocolitis worldwide . Arthritis, Reiter syndrome, and Guillain-Barre syndrome represent post-infectious sequelae . Although the acute and chronic clinical manifestations highlight Campylobacter species as excellent models for the identification of mechanisms involved in pathogenesis, detailed investigations at the molecular level are complicated by the fastidious growth requirements of the bacteria and by the tremendous variability displayed by Campylobacter isolates . Thus, research activities in this field constitute a substantial challenge for scientists of many different disciplines . The genome information has greatly stimulated investigations at the molecular level and the resulting modern research trends lead to a better understanding of Campylobacter-associated diseases providing the basis for new developments in prevention and therapy . RECENT FINDINGS: This review summarizes results from the most recent investigations in the field of Campylobacter pathogenesis . Topics include genome analysis, surface structures and post-infectious complications, adaptation, host cell interaction and cell toxicity . SUMMARY: During its coevolution with human and other vertebrate hosts, Campylobacter species have developed specific survival strategies, which are required for host adaptation and establishment in the intestinal environment . The bacterial factors involved in these processes are the subject of intensive research activities . With a focus on molecular aspects of the most important human pathogen, C . jejuni, this review intends to summarize the recent trends and developments in Campylobacter research by highlighting selected publications in the field of microbial pathogenesis.

Curr Opin Infect Dis, 2003 Oct, 16(5), 375 - 81
Infectious causes of acute flaccid paralysis; Solomon T et al.; PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is more frequently seen in the tropics than in temperate regions, recent outbreaks of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America have drawn attention to this important presentation . Starting with anatomical and neurophysiological considerations, this article examines data on AFP caused by WNV, and considers recent data on paralysis caused by enteroviruses, and Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) . RECENT FINDINGS: Neurophysiological, radiological and pathological studies suggest WNV causes AFP by damaging anterior horn cells in the spinal cord . The clinical presentation is probably best described as a 'poliomyelitis-like illness', and the disease as 'WNV myelitis' . Other findings during the recent outbreaks include increasing recognition of a Parkinson's-disease like presentation, and descriptions of virus transmission in blood transfusions and transplanted organs . GBS is now recognized as several disorders characterized by immune-mediated attack on peripheral nerves: in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy the myelin sheath and Schwann cell of sensory and motor nerves are targeted; acute motor axonal and acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy often follow Campylobacter jejuni enteritis and are associated with antibodies against the ganglioside component of the nerve axolemmal membrane . In Asia-Pacific, enterovirus 71 has caused outbreaks of neurological diseases with AFP and encephalitis, but no single genogroup of virus appears responsible for severe disease . SUMMARY: Despite the near eradication of poliomyelitis, AFP caused by viruses remains an important clinical presentation . Distinguishing direct viral causes from GBS is important for public health reasons, and to avoid inappropriate therapies.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2003 Sep 30, 100(20), 11690 - 5 Epub 2003 Sep 19.
Complete genome sequence and analysis of Wolinella succinogenes; Baar C et al.; To understand the origin and emergence of pathogenic bacteria, knowledge of the genetic inventory from their nonpathogenic relatives is a prerequisite . Therefore, the 2.11-megabase genome sequence of Wolinella succinogenes, which is closely related to the pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni, was determined . Despite being considered nonpathogenic to its bovine host, W . succinogenes holds an extensive repertoire of genes homologous to known bacterial virulence factors . Many of these genes have been acquired by lateral gene transfer, because part of the virulence plasmid pVir and an N-linked glycosylation gene cluster were found to be syntenic between C . jejuni and genomic islands of W . succinogenes . In contrast to other host-adapted bacteria, W . succinogenes does harbor the highest density of bacterial sensor kinases found in any bacterial genome to date, together with an elaborate signaling circuitry of the GGDEF family of proteins . Because the analysis of the W . succinogenes genome also revealed genes related to soil- and plant-associated bacteria such as the nif genes, W . succinogenes may represent a member of the epsilon proteobacteria with a life cycle outside its host.

Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2003 Sep, 22(3), 237 - 41
A phenylalanine-arginine beta-naphthylamide sensitive multidrug efflux pump involved in intrinsic and acquired resistance of Campylobacter to macrolides; Mamelli L et al.; The macrolide erythromycin is the antibiotic of choice in the management of Campylobacter infections . Although mutation has been reported to account for resistance to the antibiotic, resistance may also be due to an efflux pump that extrudes the drug prior to reaching its target . Moreover, the efflux pump may be one that accommodates resistance to other related or unrelated drugs (multidrug resistance) . We examined the possibility that resistance to erythromycin may involve an efflux pump whose presence may be identified by the use of the unique commercial inhibitor of the previously described efflux pumps phenylalanine-arginine beta-naphtylamide (PAbetaN) . We showed that PAbetaN is able to significantly increase the susceptibility of the reference strain NCTC 11168 to erythromycin, suggesting that an efflux pump functions at a basal level in the reference wild type strain . Erythromycin-resistant isolates were tested for their response to PAbetaN treatment . Among the strains tested, resistance of three isolates to erythromycin was reduced to a level comparable to that of the susceptible strain when the strains were grown in the presence of this inhibitor . To conclude, besides mutations, erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter may also be due to an efflux mechanism sensitive to PAbetaN.

Rev Esp Quimioter, 2003 Jun, 16(2), 216 - 20
{Susceptibility of Campylobacter jejuni clinical isolates from children to eight antibiotics}; Garcia-Campos JA et al.; This study aimed to identify the activity of eight antibiotics (ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, azithromycin, erythromycin, clindamycin, ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and tetracycline) against 80 strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from children . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined by an agar dilution method . Resistance to azithromycin and erythromycin was considered when MIC > or =8 mg/l, to clindamycin when MIC > or =1 mg/l, to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ampicillin when MIC > or =32 mg/l, to ofloxacin and moxifloxacin when MIC > or =4 mg/l, and to tetracycline when MIC > or =16 mg/l . All strains tested were susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid . The lowest frequency of resistance was to azithromycin (2%), erythromycin (3.7%), clindamycin (4.4%) and ampicillin (4.9%), and the highest was to ofloxacin and tetracycline (61.7% for both), and moxifloxacin (37%) . Considered the antibiotics of choice for the treatment of infections caused by this microorganism, macrolides showed excellent activity with MIC(90)=0.5 mg/l for azithromycin and MIC(90)=0.5 mg/l for erythromycin.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(4), 704 - 8
Identification of a novel stress resistance mechanism in Campylobacter jejuni; Murphy C et al.; AIM: To study stress resistance mechanisms in Campylobacter spp . METHODS AND RESULTS: Campylobacter strains were grown to the appropriate phase in Brucella broth . The cells were diluted into either cell-free spent medium (obtained by filtration of a grown culture) or a freshly prepared medium and the pH reduced to 4.5, a lethal pH value . At suitable time intervals survivors were enumerated on Campylobacter blood free selective agar base . The cell-free spent medium from mid-exponential and stationary phase had a protective effect on acid and thermal stress in Campylobacter jejuni CI 120, a natural isolate . The protective effect of the extracellular compound was not significantly inactivated by boiling, but was inactivated by proteinase . CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that a protein (or proteins) accumulated by C . jejuni CI 120 during growth may play an active role in the induction of stress responses and that this protein is heat stable . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results indicate that C . jejuni CI 120, a natural isolate, has the ability to use extracellular signalling mechanisms to induce tolerance to stress factors . This is a major advancement in the understanding of the physiological basis for survival of C . jejuni in the environment.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(4), 649 - 55
Identification of campylobacteria isolated from Danish broilers by phenotypic tests and species-specific PCR assays; Waino M et al.; AIMS: To validate a phenotypic Campylobacter species identification method employed to identify campylobacters in broilers by comparison with campylobacterial species identification using various species-specific PCR analyses . METHODS AND RESULTS: From a collection of 2733 phenotypically identified campylobacterial cultures, 108 Campylobacter jejuni cultures and 351 campylobacterial cultures other than Camp . jejuni were subjected to various species-specific PCR assays . On the basis of the genotypic tests, it was demonstrated that Camp . jejuni and Camp . coli constituted approx . 99% of all cultures, while other species identified were Helicobacter pullorum, Camp . lari and Camp . upsaliensis . However, 29% of the 309 Camp . coli cultures identified by phenotypic tests were hippurate-variable or negative Camp . jejuni cultures, whereas some Camp . lari cultures and unspeciated campylobacter cultures belonged to H . pullorum . It was also notable that 2-6% of the cultures were, in fact, mixed cultures . CONCLUSIONS: The phenotypic identification scheme employed failed to appropriately differentiate Campylobacter species and particularly to identify the closely related species, H . pullorum . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Future phenotypic test schemes should be designed to allow a more accurate differentiation of Campylobacter and related species . Preferably, the phenotypic tests should be supplemented with a genotypic strategy to disclose the true campylobacterial species diversity in broilers.

APMIS, 2003 Jun, 111(6), 605 - 18
The genome of Campylobacter jejuni: codon and amino acid usage; Fuglsang A; The genes from the genome of the AT-rich bacterium Campylobacter jejuni were analysed and characterised with respect to usage and amino acid usage . Codon usage is generally biased for all amino acids having synonymous codons, so that AT-rich synonyms are most frequently used . Markov chain analysis showed that codon bias and over- or underrepresentation of the corresponding tri-letter words are not related . Predicted secondary structure, lipophilicity, codon position within the gene, strand, and position on the (+)-strand were all shown to be determinants of codon usage, and these effects were in part directly explained by compositional phenomena . Codon context and the GC-content at the wobble position of the fourfold degenerate sites exert indirect effects on codon usage . The factors that affect codon usage seem to affect all amino acids, rather than selected amino acids . The usage of amino acids correlates well with the GC-content of genes, i.e . usage of amino acids encoded by GC-rich codons increases with GC-content and vice versa.

Poult Sci, 2003 Sep, 82(9), 1403 - 6
Effect of experimental chlorate product administration in the drinking water on Salmonella typhimurium contamination of broilers; Byrd JA et al.; The crop is a known source of Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination . Previously, we evaluated lactic acid in the drinking water during a simulated pretransport feed withdrawal (FW) and reported 0.44% lactic acid significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the number of Salmonella recovered in market-age broiler crops . However, total consumption of the organic acid-treated drinking water was reduced . Presently, we evaluated the effect of experimental chlorate product (ECP; 1x ECP is equivalent to a 15 mM chlorate ion concentration) during a 10-h pretransport FW . Market-age broilers were obtained from a commercial processing plant and randomly assigned to ECP-treated or control (nontreated) groups . Broilers were challenged by crop gavage with 10(8) Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) immediately upon arrival and 1 d prior to termination of the experiment . One day later, broilers were killed for ST enumeration (cfu) in the crop and ceca . Broilers provided ECP 24 h prior to slaughter consumed slightly more ECP water than broilers provided distilled water . Treatment with ECP caused a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the incidence of ST in crop contents (2%) as compared to the controls (36.7%) . Similarly, ECP treatment caused a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in number of ST (0.96 log10 ST/g cecal content) detected in the ceca when compared to controls (2.52 log10 ST) . This study suggested that incorporation of ECP in the drinking water 24 to 48 h prior to slaughter could reduce Salmonella contamination in broilers.

J Neuroimmunol, 2003 Aug, 141(1-2), 112 - 7
CDR3 spectratyping analysis of the T cell receptor repertoire in Guillain-Barré and Fisher syndromes; Koga M et al.; Several autoimmune and infectious disorders show oligoclonal expansion of particular T cell phenotypes . The extent of T cell involvement in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a post-infectious autoimmune neuropathy, however, is not clear . To identify the pathogenic T cell phenotypes in GBS and Fisher syndrome (FS), variations in T cell receptor use of the V beta 1-24 and V delta 1-5 chain genes were analyzed at complementarity-determining region 3 level in 119 patients with GBS or FS . Overall, V beta and V delta spectratypes were expanded more frequently in patients with GBS (V beta in 77%, V delta in 53%) or FS (V beta in 75%, V delta in 65%) than in the healthy controls (V beta in 59%, V delta in 38%) . No particular spectratype was significantly associated with GBS or FS . Subgrouping the patients by Campylobacter jejuni serology and anti-ganglioside IgG antibodies also failed to detect particular spectratype gene use . The frequency of V beta 5.2 expansion tended to be higher in patients with positive Haemophilus influenzae serology (50%) than in the controls (7%), but the difference was not significant . Our findings show that oligoclonal expansion of T cells bearing particular type T cell receptor V beta and V delta genes frequently occurs in GBS and FS, suggestive that T cells mediate the development of these neuropathies . The predominant phenotypes vary, even within subgroups of patients with a syndrome of single etiological origin or those with uniform serological features.

Neurology, 2003 Sep 9, 61(5), 617 - 22
Acute motor conduction block neuropathy Another Guillain-Barré syndrome variant; Capasso M et al.; OBJECTIVE: To report two patients with an acute exclusively motor neuropathy with conduction blocks . METHODS: Serial electrophysiologic studies were carried out . RESULTS: Two patients developed symmetric proximal and distal weakness without sensory abnormalities after enteritis . Tendon reflexes were normal in one patient and brisk in the other . One patient had high titer immunoglobulin G to GD1a and GM1, and the other to GD1b, GD1a, and GM1 and a recent Campylobacter jejuni infection . Electrophysiology showed early partial motor conduction block in intermediate and distal nerve segments, normal sensory conductions even across the sites of conduction block, and normal somatosensory evoked potentials . Conduction blocks resolved in 2 to 5 weeks without excessive temporal dispersion of proximal motor responses . CONCLUSIONS: Acute motor neuropathy with normal or brisk tendon reflexes, conduction block, and fast recovery appears to be a variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome . Conduction block may result from immune-mediated conduction failure at the nodes of Ranvier without demyelination.

J Infect, 2003 Oct, 47(3), 217 - 24
Campylobacter-stimulated INT407 cells produce dissociated cytokine profiles; Al-Salloom FS et al.; OBJECTIVES: To study the action of factors produced by living Campylobacter jejuni (C . jejuni) against those present within sonicated and filtrated bacteria on induction of potential cytokines by the human intestinal cell line INT407 . METHODS: We used immunohistochemical technique modified to detect intracellular production of cytokines protein and RT-PCR to read RNA messages for evaluation of de novo cytokine synthesis . RESULTS: The data herein display dissociation of cytokine profiles induced on by living C . jejuni . Exposure of INT407 cells to 10(6) live bacteria showed the highest numbers of cytokine producing cells of all examined cytokines . IFN-gamma was the highest induced cytokine followed by IL-10, TNF-alpha and lastly IL-4 . Also, abrogation of induction of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha but not the antiinflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 by sonicated and filtrated bacteria was depicted . At the mRNA level, TNF-alpha signals were noted in accordance with its protein levels since increased TNF-alpha mRNA signals were registered only after stimulation with living bacteria . Very low or no induction of TNF-alpha was registered with non-stimulated cells . CONCLUSIONS: These results illustrate for the first time a role for factors from living bacteria in directing the immune response towards Th1 type . Characterization of such factors may be essential for future immunotherapeutic interventions during severe bacterial infections.

J Infect, 2003 Oct, 47(3), 210 - 6
Ethnicity and Campylobacter infection: a population-based questionnaire survey; Campylobacter sentinel surveillance schemecollaborators; OBJECTIVES: Population based-studies on Campylobacter infection have focused on age, gender, season and the level of urbanisation . The aim of this study was to determine the risk of infection in different ethnic groups resident in England . METHODS: Ethnicity-specific risk for Campylobacter infection were calculated using data on 6585 laboratory-confirmed cases from 18 health authorities in England . RESULTS . The Pakistani community was at greater risk of Campylobacter infection than the White community (Risk Ratio (RR) 1.71; exact 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.45-2.01) . The Indian (RR 0.38; 95% CI 0.28-0.52) and Black (RR 0.30; 95% CI 0.21-0.44) communities were at lower risk than the White community . The risk in the Chinese community was no different from other ethnic groups (RR 1.21; 95% CI 0.74-1.98) . Epidemiological differences between Pakistani and White cases were identified . CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of Campylobacter infection in England differs according to ethnic origin, and some ethnic groups appear to be at greater risk of infection than others . This has important implications for the development of effective disease control strategies and the design of epidemiological studies . Failure to take ethnicity into consideration might mask important risk factors for infection and limit understanding of disease transmission processes, enhancing inequality of access to preventative measures.

Kaohsiung J Med Sci, 2003 Aug, 19(8), 406 - 15
Potential role of vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in periodontal diseases; Lee E et al.; Host-mediated immunoinflammatory pathways activated by bacteria lead to destruction of the periodontal connective tissues and alveolar bone . The objective of this study was to elucidate the activation of the inflammatory processes in periodontal disease by quantitative assessment of cytokines and periodontopathogens . Gingival crevicular fluids (GCF) and subgingival plaque samples were collected from patients with chronic periodontitis and gingivitis and from periodontally healthy sites . Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin 8 (IL-8) in GCF were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . Periodontopathogens, including Bacteroides forsythus, Campylobacter rectus, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia, were analyzed by immunofluorescence and dark-field microscopy . There was significantly more VEGF and IL-8 in chronic periodontitis and gingivitis sites than in periodontally healthy sites . There were significant positive correlations between the concentrations and total amounts of VEGF and IL-8 in chronic periodontitis and gingivitis sites, and between the levels of periodontopathogens and the total amounts of VEGF, MCP-1 and IL-8 . These data indicate that inflammatory processes induced by periodontopathogens and the activation of certain cytokines (VEGF, MCP-1, IL-8) in periodontal diseases may be relevant to host-mediated destruction in chronic periodontitis.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Sep, 41(9), 4058 - 67
Clonal complexes of Campylobacter jejuni identified by multilocus sequence typing correlate with strain associations identified by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis; Sails AD et al.; Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with SmaI were used to subtype 55 isolates of Campylobacter jejuni from a diverse range of human and animal sources previously characterized by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE) . MEE and MLST targeted 11 and 7 loci, respectively, and all loci were unique to each method . MEE, MLST, and PFGE identified 40, 37, and 48 discrete subtypes, respectively, with many of the subtypes occurring only once within the data set . Simpson's indices of diversity were calculated to be 0.979, 0.966, and 0.994 for MEE, MLST, and PFGE, respectively, demonstrating that MEE and MLST had similar discriminatory powers but that PFGE was more discriminatory . Allele diversity was higher in the MLST loci; individual single-locus diversities for the 11 MEE loci and the 7 MLST loci were 0.491 and 0.854, respectively . The clonal complexes recognized by MLST correlated with the strain associations previously recognized by MEE and contained some isolates indistinguishable by PFGE . Many clusters contained isolates from diverse geographical regions and from both humans and animals . These results demonstrate the usefulness of MLST for investigation of the global epidemiology of this important pathogen and illustrate its potential to identify indistinguishable strains or clones in geographically distinct regions.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Sep, 69(9), 5670 - 2
Toward an international standard for PCR-based detection of food-borne thermotolerant Campylobacters: validation in a multicenter collaborative trial; Lubeck PS et al.; As part of a European research project, the performance of a PCR assay to detect food-borne thermotolerant campylobacters (Campylobacter jejuni, C . coli, and C . lari) was evaluated through an international collaborative trial involving 12 participating laboratories . DNA from 10 target and 8 nontarget strains was tested, and the results were reported as the presence of a positive signal after gel electrophoresis . The overall inclusivity (sensitivity) was 93.7%, and the exclusivity (specificity) was 100% . The results indicate that the assay can become an international standard and can be confidently applied in microbiological laboratories.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Sep, 69(9), 5664 - 9
Toward an international standard for PCR-based detection of food-borne thermotolerant Campylobacters: assay development and analytical validation; Lubeck PS et al.; As part of a European research project (FOOD-PCR), we developed a standardized and robust PCR detection assay specific for the three most frequently reported food-borne pathogenic Campylobacter species, C . jejuni, C . coli, and C . lari . Fifteen published and unpublished PCR primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene were tested in all possible pairwise combinations, as well as two published primers targeting the 23S rRNA gene . A panel of 150 strains including target and nontarget strains was used in an in-house validation . Only one primer pair, OT1559 plus 18-1, was found to be selective . The inclusivity and exclusivity were 100 and 97%, respectively . In an attempt to find a thermostable DNA polymerase more resistant than Taq to PCR inhibitors present in chicken samples, three DNA polymerases were evaluated . The DNA polymerase Tth was not inhibited at a concentration of 2% (vol/vol) chicken carcass rinse, unlike both Taq DNA polymerase and DyNAzyme . Based on these results, Tth was selected as the most suitable enzyme for the assay . The standardized PCR test described shows potential for use in large-scale screening programs for food-borne Campylobacter species under the assay conditions specified.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Sep, 69(9), 5372 - 9
Effect of Campylobacter-specific maternal antibodies on Campylobacter jejuni colonization in young chickens; Sahin O et al.; Using laboratory challenge experiments, we examined whether Campylobacter-specific maternal antibody (MAB) plays a protective role in young chickens, which are usually free of Campylobacter under natural production conditions . Kinetics of C . jejuni colonization were compared by infecting 3-day-old broiler chicks, which were naturally positive for Campylobacter-specific MAB, and 21-day-old broilers, which were negative for Campylobacter-specific MAB . The onset of colonization occurred much sooner in birds challenged at the age of 21 days than it did in the birds inoculated at 3 days of age, which suggested a possible involvement of specific MAB in the delay of colonization . To further examine this possibility, specific-pathogen-free layer chickens were raised under laboratory conditions with or without Campylobacter infection, and their 3-day-old progenies with (MAB(+)) or without (MAB(-)) Campylobacter-specific MAB were orally challenged with C . jejuni . Significant decreases in the percentage of colonized chickens were observed in the MAB(+) group during the first week compared with the MAB(-) group . These results indicate that Campylobacter-specific MAB plays a partial role in protecting young chickens against colonization by C . jejuni . Presence of MAB in young chickens did not seem to affect the development of systemic immune response following infection with C . jejuni . However, active immune responses to Campylobacter occurred earlier and more strongly in birds infected at 21 days of age than those infected at 3 days of age . Clearance of Campylobacter infection was also observed in chickens infected at 21 days of age . Taken together, these findings (i) indicate that anti-Campylobacter MAB contributes to the lack of Campylobacter infection in young broiler chickens in natural environments and (ii) provide further evidence supporting the feasibility of development of immunization-based approaches for control of Campylobacter infection in poultry.

In Silico Biol, 2003, 3(3), 277 - 85
The low complexity proteins from enteric pathogenic bacteria: taxonomic parallels embedded in diversity; Nandi T et al.; The number and functions of the low complexity (LC) proteins from four enteric bacterial pathogens Escherichia coli O157, Vibrio cholerae, Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni were compared . For this purpose the LC proteins were grouped into 3 categories for pairwise comparisons . These were COMMON, VARIANT and LC proteins with No Homologues (LCNH) . Homologous LC proteins in both species in a given pairwise comparison were grouped as COMMON . LC Proteins of same function but not of low complexity in either of the species in a given pair were grouped as VARIANT . LC proteins without any homologues in either species were grouped as LCNH . Conservation patterns were inferred by comparing them under 3 functional classes CELLULAR PROCESSES (CP), TRANSPORT and MEMBRANE ASSOCIATED (TM) and CHARACTERISTIC (CH) . In the COMMON category, highest similarity was found between E . coli O157 and V . cholerae on the one hand and H . pylori and C . jejuni on the other under the functional class CP . This parallels taxonomic classification in that E . coli and V . cholerae are classified under gamma subdivision of proteobacteria whereas H . pylori and C . jejuni are classified under the epsilon subdivision . The data from LCNH group, although more diffuse, was complementary the to pattern drawn from COMMON category in that the numbers of LCNH in the pair {E . coli O157, V . cholerae} and in {H . pylori, C . jejuni} were lowest . No consistent patterns were observed in the VARIANT category . These observations indicate that although low complexity segments are thought to undergo variations, species patterns do exist in a limited set of low complexity proteins that parallels taxonomic classification.

J Bacteriol, 2003 Sep, 185(18), 5408 - 18
Natural transformation of Campylobacter jejuni requires components of a type II secretion system; Wiesner RS et al.; The human pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is one of more than 40 naturally competent bacterial species able to import macromolecular DNA from the environment and incorporate it into their genomes . However, in C . jejuni little is known about the genes involved in this process . We used random transposon mutagenesis to identify genes that are required for the transformation of this organism . We isolated mutants with insertions in 11 different genes; most of the mutants are affected in the DNA uptake stage of transformation, whereas two mutants are affected in steps subsequent to DNA uptake, such as recombination into the chromosome or in DNA transport across the inner membrane . Several of these genes encode proteins homologous to those involved in type II secretion systems, biogenesis of type IV pili, and competence for natural transformation in gram-positive and gram-negative species . Other genes identified in our screen encode proteins unique to C . jejuni or are homologous to proteins that have not been shown to play a role in the transformation in other bacteria.

Mol Cell Probes, 2003 Aug, 17(4), 135 - 8
Development of a triplex PCR assay for the specific detection of Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli O157:H7; Gilbert C et al.; A triplex PCR assay was developed and evaluated for efficacy in detecting Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a variety of raw and ready-to-eat food products . Following a short enrichment period, artificially contaminated food samples were subjected to a triplex PCR assay, which incorporated published primers for each food pathogen, a protocol for sample collection, and a PCR procedure designed specifically for the assay . The selected primers amplified fragment sizes of 159 bp, 252 bp, and 360 bp for C . jejuni, E . coli O157:H7, and Salmonella spp., respectively . This assay provides specific and reliable results and allows for the cost-effective detection of all three bacterial pathogens in one reaction tube.

Rev Gastroenterol Mex, 2003 Jan-Mar, 68(1), 55 - 61
{Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome . A review based on current evidence}; Gomez-Escudero O et al.; INTRODUCTION: Pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial . Recent investigations have associated episodes of infectious gastroenteritis with development of IBS . This condition is named post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS) . The role of inflammation-infection in IBS pathogenesis is not well understood . AIM: To review published scientific evidence on PI-IBS regarding risk factors, causal agents, histopathological changes, and treatment . MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search in MEDLINE and abstracts presented at national and international GI meetings was performed, looking for information published in the past 50 years including animal studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, and series of cases and case reports, using the key words post-infectious enteritis, post-dysenteric or post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS), and post-infectious colitis . RESULTS: Fifty one papers were included . These studies were classified according to pathophysiologic mechanisms, infectious agents involved, animal or human studies, and treatment . CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence shows a strong association between colonic infection and inflammation with development of IBS . Approximately 25% of patients with IBS have a history of infectious enteritis . Microbial agents related with PI-IBS include bacteria (Campylobacter, Salmonella) and parasites (Trichinella spiralis) . Increased number of enteroendocrine cells, CD3 lymphocytes and mast cells within the colonic muscle wall, release of pro-inflammatory substances, and increased number of inflammatory cells with intestinal nervous endings are the most common histopathologic findings . Patients developing PI-IBS have a higher frequency of psychological disorders and stressful events prior to the gastroenteritis episode . Therapeutic interventions with steroids, COX-2 inhibitors, antibiotics and probiotics require further investigation.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2003 Sep, 47(9), 2946 - 50
In vitro activities of new fluoroquinolones against Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates obtained from humans in 1980 to 1982 and 1997 to 2001; Krausse R et al.; The antibacterial activities of three newly developed fluoroquinolones (gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin) against a total of 307 gastrointestinal human isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli collected during 1980 to 1982 and 1997 to 2001 were examined and compared to those of ciprofloxacin and the unrelated antibacterial agents, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline by using the agar plate dilution method . All of the fluoroquinolones exhibited a good activity against Campylobacter, and some of them were more active than ciprofloxacin, the macrolides, and tetracycline . Among the fluoroquinolones, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin showed the highest anticampylobacter activity, with MICs at which 50% of the isolates tested are inhibited (MIC(50)s) and MIC(90)s of 0.125 and 4 microg/ml, respectively; the MIC(50) for both levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was 0.25, and the MIC(90)s were 16 and 32 microg/ml, respectively . About 30% of the strains were found to be resistant to at least one fluoroquinolone . Resistance to gatifloxacin occurred in 9.8% of the isolates tested, and resistance to the other fluoroquinolones occurred in 19.9 to 27.4% of the isolates tested; the frequency of cross-resistance was 35.7 to 100% . An increase in fluoroquinolone resistance from 0% in 1980 to 1982 to 11.8 to 29% in 1997 and 1998, 8.2 to 31.8% in 1999 and 2000, and 12.1 to 30.3% in 2001 was found . A total of 61.4 to 73.2% of the C . jenuni strains resistant to erythromycin, clarithromycin, and/or tetracycline were susceptible to fluoroquinolones; gatifloxacin showed the highest percentage of inhibition . These results show that the newer fluoroquinolones with their potent activity could be used to treat infections with C . jejuni and C . coli . However, when these drugs are used, one must consider the increase in resistance and the high cross-resistance to these antimicrobial agents.

Infect Immun, 2003 Sep, 71(9), 4883 - 90
Interactions of Campylobacter jejuni cytolethal distending toxin subunits CdtA and CdtC with HeLa cells; Lee RB et al.; Campylobacter jejuni produces a toxin, called cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), which causes direct DNA damage leading to invocation of DNA damage checkpoint pathways . The affected cells arrest in G(1) or G(2) and eventually die . CDT consists of three protein subunits, CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC, with CdtB recently identified as a nuclease . However, little is known about the functions of CdtA or CdtC . In this work, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based experiments were used to show, for the first time, that both CdtA and CdtC bound with specificity to the surface of HeLa cells, whereas CdtB did not . Varying the order of the addition of subunits for reconstitution of the holotoxin had no effect on activity . In addition, mutants containing deletions of conserved regions of CdtA and CdtC were able to bind to the surface of HeLa cells but were not able to participate in holotoxin assembly . Finally, both Cdt mutant subunits were able to effectively compete with CDT holotoxin in the HeLa cell binding assay.

Plasmid, 2003 Sep, 50(2), 152 - 60
Sequence analysis of a cryptic plasmid pCJ419 from Campylobacter jejuni and construction of an Escherichia coli-Campylobacter shuttle vector; Alfredson DA et al.; A small cryptic plasmid, pCJ419, was identified in a human clinical isolate of Campylobacter jejuni, cloned and sequenced . pCJ419 is a circular molecule of 4013 bp with a G+C content of 27.1% . The products of four open reading frames (ORFs) share significant sequence similarity with putative proteins from known C . jejuni and Campylobacter coli plasmids . ORF-1 encodes a putative mobilisation protein (Mob) . ORF-2 and ORF-3 encode proteins that have high identity to putative RepA and RepB proteins, respectively, of known C . jejuni and C . coli plasmids . ORF-4 encodes a protein that has high identity to a hypothetical protein of unknown function, Cjp32, previously described in a pVir plasmid of C . jejuni . Tandem repeating 22-bp sequences typical of a plasmid replication origin (ori) were identified upstream of the DNA sequences encoding putative replication initiation proteins . An Escherichia coli-Campylobacter shuttle cloning vector, pGU0202, was constructed using plasmid pMW2 that harbours a Campylobacter-derived kanamycin resistance gene {aph(3')-III} . The sequences encoding pCJ419 mob, RepA and RepB proteins were inserted upstream of aph(3')-III resulting in a stable construct of 6174 bp that was used to transform both E . coli and Campylobacter.

J Periodontol, 2003 Jul, 74(7), 1060 - 6
Localized aggressive periodontitis in primary dentition: a case report; Suzuki J et al.; BACKGROUND: A 5-year-old Japanese boy presented with persistent gingival inflammation and severe mobility of the right lower primary incisors . Due to severe alveolar bone loss and a deep periodontal pocket (5 mm), the incisors were extracted at the second visit . METHODS: Clinical, radiographic, histological, and microbiological examinations were carried out . Then, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was employed to detect specific periodontal pathogens . The chemotactic activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils was also measured . RESULTS: Tannerella, Capnocytophaga, Fusobacterium, and Eikenella sp . were recovered from the subgingival microflora around the right lower incisors, while A . actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythensis (formerly Bacteroides forsythus), Prevotella nigrescens, Campylobacter rectus, and Capnocytophaga gingivalis were detected using the PCR method . Further chemotaxis assay revealed that neutrophil function was depressed compared with that of healthy controls . CONCLUSIONS: Although inflammation remained around the right primary second molars, the bone loss was controlled by periodic professional mechanical teeth cleaning (PMTC), subgingival irrigation, and local antibiotic application . The probing depths of all teeth, including permanent incisors and molars, were within 2.5 mm.

J Food Prot, 2003 Aug, 66(8), 1343 - 52
Rapid detection of Campylobacter jejuni in chicken rinse water by melting-peak analysis of amplicons in real-time polymerase chain reaction; Cheng Z et al.; Five DNA extraction protocols for the detection of Campylobacter spp . by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were compared . A method involving Triton X-100 produced template DNA of sufficient quality to allow the detection of Campylobacter jejuni at levels of 100 CFU/ml in pure culture . Primers were designed on the basis of the cadF gene sequence . With a SYBR Green I real-time PCR assay, these primers amplified only sequences present in C . jejuni to produce a product with a melting temperature of 81.5 degrees C . None of the strains of Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter lari, or Campylobacter fetus tested produced this product during the PCR assay . Other noncampylobacter species tested were shown not to possess the cadF sequence . The real-time PCR combined with a rapid, simple Triton X-100 DNA extraction protocol made it possible to detect < 10 CFU of C . jejuni per ml of chicken rinse within 14 h.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2003 Oct 15, 87(1-2), 75 - 86
Effect of fermented feed on the susceptibility for Campylobacter jejuni colonisation in broiler chickens with and without concurrent inoculation of Salmonella enteritidis; Heres L et al.; Fermented liquid feed (FLF) protects broiler chickens against colonisation with Salmonella . While Campylobacter causes more disease cases in humans than Salmonella, the effect of FLF on Campylobacter was assessed . The fermented liquid feed is a moistened feed with a high number of lactobacilli, a high concentration of lactic acid, and a pH of 4 . In three experiments Campylobacter was orally applied to individually housed 9-day-old broiler chickens . A significant reduction of susceptibility, as determined by cloacal swabs, was observed . At any moment where an animal has not started to shed Campylobacter yet, the probability to start shedding Campylobacter in a subsequent small time interval was nine times as high for the control chickens than for the animals that were fed FLF . FLF did not consistently change the Campylobacter colonisation level in the caeca . It was concluded that FLF could reduce the probability of introduction of Campylobacter in broiler flocks . In an experiment where some chickens were simultaneously inoculated with Salmonella enteritidis and Campylobacter, no interaction on susceptibility or caecal colonisation level was observed.

Commun Dis Intell, 2003, 27(2), 249 - 57
A study of the foodborne pathogens: Campylobacter, Listeria and Yersinia, in faeces from slaughter-age cattle and sheep in Australia; Bailey GD et al.; In a study of faeces from 475 slaughter-age cattle and sheep from 19 herds or flocks, Campylobacter species (C . jejuni and C . coli) were cultured from all production systems studied and from 73.7 per cent (14/19) of herds or flocks . Within individual properties there was a higher prevalence in cattle than in sheep, with Campylobacter being most commonly isolated from feedlot cattle . The median prevalences and ranges were: for dairy cattle, six per cent (0-24%), feedlot beef cattle, 58 per cent (12-92%) pasture beef cattle, two per cent (0-52%), mutton sheep, 0 per cent (0-4%) and prime lambs eight per cent . Listeria ivanovii was cultured from one dairy cow but Yersinia enterocolitica was not cultured from any animal . Campylobacter is the leading bacterial causative agent of acute diarrhoea in humans in many industrialised countries . While the role of cattle and sheep in producing human campylobacteriosis either directly or via contaminated food, remains to be epidemiologically clarified, this study suggests that the production system, particularly for cattle, may be an important consideration.

Commun Dis Intell, 2003, 27(2), 209 - 43
Foodborne disease in Australia: incidence, notifications and outbreaks . Annual report of the OzFoodNet network, 2002; OzFoodNet Working Group; In 2002, OzFoodNet continued to enhance surveillance of foodborne diseases across Australia . The OzFoodNet network expanded to cover all Australian states and territories in 2002 . The National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health together with OzFoodNet concluded a national survey of gastroenteritis, which found that there were 17.2 (95% C.I . 14.5-19.9) million cases of gastroenteritis each year in Australia . The credible range of gastroenteritis that may be due to food each year is between 4.0-6.9 million cases with a mid-point of 5.4 million . During 2002, there were 23,434 notifications of eight bacterial diseases that may have been foodborne, which was a 7.7 per cent increase over the mean of the previous four years . There were 14,716 cases of campylobacteriosis, 7,917 cases of salmonellosis, 505 cases of shigellosis, 99 cases of yersiniosis, 64 cases of typhoid, 62 cases of listeriosis, 58 cases of shiga toxin producing E . coli and 13 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome . OzFoodNet sites reported 92 foodborne disease outbreaks affecting 1,819 persons, of whom 5.6 per cent (103/1,819) were hospitalised and two people died . There was a wide range of foods implicated in these outbreaks and the most common agent was Salmonella Typhimurium . Sites reported two outbreaks with potential for international spread involving contaminated tahini from Egypt resulting in an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infection and an outbreak of suspected norovirus infection associated with imported Japanese oysters . In addition, there were three outbreaks associated with animal petting zoos or poultry hatching programs and 318 outbreaks of suspected person-to-person transmission . Sites conducted 100 investigations into clusters of gastrointestinal illness where a source could not be identified, including three multi-state outbreaks of salmonellosis . OzFoodNet identified important risk factors for foodborne disease infection, including: Salmonella infections due to chicken and egg consumption, bakeries as a source of Salmonella infection, and problems associated with spit roast meals served by mobile caterers . There were marked improvements in surveillance during 2002, with all jurisdictions contributing to national cluster reports, increasing use of analytical studies to investigate outbreaks and 96.9 per cent of Salmonella notifications on state and territory surveillance databases recording complete information about serotype and phage type . During 2002, there were several investigations that showed the benefits of national collaboration to control foodborne disease . Sharing surveillance data from animals, humans and foods and rapid sharing of molecular typing information for human isolates of potentially foodborne organisms could further improve surveillance of foodborne disease in Australia.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 2003 Sep, 52(3), 507 - 10 Epub 2003 Aug 13.
Prevalence of multiple antibiotic resistance in 443 Campylobacter spp . isolated from humans and animals; Randall LP et al.; AIMS: In view of recent findings that a multidrug efflux pump CmeABC exists in Campylobacter jejuni, 391 C . jejuni and 52 Campylobacter coli of human and animal origin were examined for a multidrug resistance phenotype . MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MICs of ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, cetrimide, triclosan, acridine orange, paraquat and ethidium bromide were determined . Resistance to organic solvents and the effect of salicylate (known inducer of the marRAB operon in Escherichia coli and Salmonella) were also examined . RESULTS: Two C . coli and 13 C . jejuni isolates, mainly from pigs or poultry, were resistant to three or more antibiotics and 12 of these strains had reduced susceptibility to acridine orange and/or ethidium bromide . Strains (n = 20) that were less susceptible to acridine orange, ethidium bromide and triclosan were significantly more resistant (P < 0.05) to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid and tetracycline, with two- to four-fold increases in MIC values compared with strains (n = 20) most susceptible to acridine orange, ethidium bromide and triclosan . Growth of strains with 1 mM salicylate caused a small (up to two-fold) but statistically significant (P < or = 0.005) increase in the MICs of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin and tetracycline . CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR)-like Campylobacter strains occur and it may be postulated that these may overexpress cmeABC or another efflux system.

Microbiol Immunol, 2003, 47(6), 469 - 73
Role of microfilaments and microtubules in the invasion of INT-407 cells by Campylobacter jejuni; Biswas D et al.; The internalization mechanisms triggered by Campylobacter jejuni were studied by invasion assays conducted with different inhibitors that act on the cytoskeleton structure of eukaryotic cells . The depolymerization of microfilaments by cytochalasin-D and that of microtubules by colchicines and nocodazole inhibited the uptake of C . jejuni into INT-407 cells in a dose-dependent manner . The inhibitory effect of microfilament depolymerization on C . jejuni internalization was more pronounced than that of microtubule depolymerization . By immunofluorescence microscopic observations, it was demonstrated that both microfilaments and microtubules were localized in INT-407 cells after C . jejuni infection . These data suggest that the internalization mechanism triggered by C . jejuni is associated with the combined effect of microfilaments and microtubules of host cells.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Aug, 41(8), 3926 - 8
Molecular typing of Campylobacter jejuni isolates involved in a neonatal outbreak indicates nosocomial transmission; Llovo J et al.; Genotypic typing by restriction fragment length polymorphism and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that two neonates in a neonatal ward were infected with the same Campylobacter jejuni strain . Isolates from the mother and brother of the index patient were identical to each other but distinct from the neonatal type . Genotyping results therefore suggested that the neonatal C . jejuni infection was nosocomial in origin.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Aug, 69(8), 5032 - 6
Reduction of experimental Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination of chicken skin by application of lytic bacteriophages; Goode D et al.; Lytic bacteriophages, applied to chicken skin that had been experimentally contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis or Campylobacter jejuni at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1, increased in titer and reduced the pathogen numbers by less than 1 log(10) unit . Phages applied at a MOI of 100 to 1,000 rapidly reduced the recoverable bacterial numbers by up to 2 log(10) units over 48 h . When the level of Salmonella contamination was low (< log(10) 2 per unit area of skin) and the MOI was 10(5), no organisms were recovered . By increasing the number of phage particles applied (i.e., MOI of 10(7)), it was also possible to eliminate other Salmonella strains that showed high levels of resistance because of restriction but to which the phages were able to attach.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Aug, 69(8), 4975 - 8
Description of a "phoenix" phenomenon in the growth of Campylobacter jejuni at temperatures close to the minimum for growth; Kelly AF et al.; When Campylobacter jejuni cultures that had been grown in broth at 39 degrees C were subcultured into fresh medium at 30 degrees C, there was a transient period of growth followed by a decline in viable-cell numbers before growth resumed once more . We propose that this complex behavior is the net effect of the growth of inoculum cells followed by a loss of viability due to oxidative stress and the subsequent emergence of a spontaneously arising mutant population that takes over the culture.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Aug, 69(8), 4658 - 61
Effect of incubation temperature on isolation of Campylobacter jejuni genotypes from foodstuffs enriched in Preston broth; Scates P et al.; Preston broth and agar incubated at either 37 or 42 degrees C have been widely used to isolate campylobacters from foodstuffs . The consequences of using either incubation temperature were investigated . Retail packs of raw chicken (n = 24) and raw lamb liver (n = 30) were purchased . Samples were incubated in Preston broth at 37 and 42 degrees C and then streaked onto Preston agar and incubated as before . Two Campylobacter isolates per treatment were characterized . Poultry isolates were genotyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and flagellin PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, and lamb isolates were genotyped by RAPD only . In total, 96% of the poultry and 73% of the lamb samples yielded campylobacters . The lamb isolates were all Campylobacter jejuni, as were 96% of the poultry isolates, with the remainder being Campylobacter lari . The incubation temperature had no significant effect on the number of positive samples or on the species isolated . However, genotyping of the C . jejuni isolates revealed profound differences in the types obtained . Overall (from poultry and lamb), the use of a single incubation temperature, 37 degrees C, gave 56% of the total number of RAPD C . jejuni genotypes, and hence, 44% remained undetected . The effect was especially marked in the poultry samples, where incubation at 37 degrees C gave 47% of the PFGE genotypes but 53% were exclusively recovered after incubation at 42 degrees C . Thus, the incubation temperature of Preston media selects for certain genotypes of C . jejuni, and to detect the widest range, samples should be incubated at both 37 and 42 degrees C . Conversely, genotyping results arising from the use of a single incubation temperature should be interpreted with caution.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 2003 Aug, 69(8), 4511 - 8
Isolation and characterization of Campylobacter bacteriophages from retail poultry; Atterbury RJ et al.; The ability of phages to survive processing is an important aspect of their potential use in the biocontrol of Campylobacter in poultry production . To this end, we have developed a procedure to recover Campylobacter bacteriophages from chilled and frozen retail poultry and have validated the sensitivity of the method by using a characterized Campylobacter phage (i.e., NCTC 12674) . By using this method, we have shown that Campylobacter phages can survive on retail chicken under commercial storage conditions . Retail chicken portions purchased in the United Kingdom were screened for the presence of endogenous Campylobacter phages . Thirty-four Campylobacter bacteriophages were isolated from 300 chilled retail chicken portions, but none could be recovered from 150 frozen chicken portions . The phage isolates were characterized according to their lytic profiles, morphology, and genome size . The free-range products were significantly more likely to harbor phages (P < 0.001 by single-factor analysis of variance) than were standard or economy products . This study demonstrates that Campylobacter bacteriophages, along with their hosts, can survive commercial poultry processing procedures and that the phages exhibited a wide range of recovery rates from chicken skin stored at 4 degrees C.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2003 Jun, 68(6), 671 - 7
Epidemiology of sporadic bloody diarrhea in rural Western Kenya; Brooks JT et al.; We conducted laboratory-based surveillance and a case-control study to characterize the epidemiology of bloody diarrhea in rural Western Kenya . From May 1997 through April 2001, we collected stool from 451 persons with bloody diarrhea presenting to four rural clinics . Cultures of 231 (51%) specimens yielded 247 bacterial pathogens: 198 Shigella (97 S . flexneri, 41 S . dysenteriae type 1, 39 S . dysenteriae type non-1, 13 S . boydii, 8 S . sonnei), 33 Campylobacter, 15 non-typhoidal Salmonella, and 1 Vibrio cholerae O1 . More than 90% of the isolates (excluding Campylobacter) were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline, and more than 80% were resistant to ampicillin . Most (74%) ill persons received medication to which their isolate was resistant . Drinking Lake Victoria water and sharing latrines between multiple households increased risk of bloody diarrhea . Washing hands after defecating was protective . Providing safe drinking water and more latrines, and promoting hand washing could reduce the burden of illness from bloody diarrhea while limiting injudicious antimicrobial use.

Med Trop (Mars), 2003, 63(1), 68 - 74
{Polyradiculoneuritis and Campylobacter jejuni: clinical and physiopathological aspects}; Diagana M et al.; Several explanations have been proposed to explain the relationship between axonal forms of acute auto-immune inflammatory polyradiculoneuritis and Campylobacter jejuni . The major hypothesis involving molecular imitation is based on the existence of common antigenic determinants (epitopes) in the lipopolysaccharides of the infectious agent and gangliosides, i.e . glycosphingolipides on the surface of the nervous system cells, especially peripheral nervous system cells . The purpose of this literature review is to improve understanding of the rather complex physiopathological mechanisms underlying Guillain-Barre syndrome.

An Sist Sanit Navar, 1998 Sep-Dec, 21(3), 319 - 29
{Bacterial infections in patients infected by HIV}; Sola J et al.; Individuals infected by the human immuno deficiency are more prone to suffering certain bacterial infections in the course of their clinical evolution . The agents involved in these infections are: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp and Campylobacter spp, which occasion an increase in morbidity and mortality . With a lower frequency, but with an equal morbidity and mortality, infections have been found caused by Rhodococcus equi, Nocardia spp and Bartonella spp . Even though all of them account for a selective impairment of immunodeficiency in one way or another, their incidence varies . Other factors such as degree of immuno suppression, habits, social and geographic living environment could be important . In general, there is a lack of chemoprophylactic strategies for their prevention . Early diagnosis and correct treatment could have important advantages for the quality of life and survival of these patients

Can J Vet Res, 2003 Jul, 67(3), 204 - 12
Effects of diet formulations containing proteins from different sources on intestinal colonization by Campylobacter jejuni in broiler chickens; Udayamputhoor RS et al.; The objective of this study was to compare the effects of 3 diet formulations containing different protein sources (animal, plant, and a combination of animal and plant) on the colonization of Campylobacter jejuni in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens . A freshly isolated strain of C . jejuni (biotype IV, serotype HS O:21, O:29, HL untypable) from a broiler chicken was used to infect 3-day-old chicks that had been free of C . jejuni; 0.5 mL of an inoculum containing 10(8) colony-forming units was administered orally . Shedding of the organism was studied, and C . jejuni in the ceca, jejuni, and crop were enumerated by quantitative culture . The isolates recovered from the birds during the study period of 35 d were characterized and confirmed as C . jejuni by the use of standard methods and underwent biotyping, serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disk diffusion and the E-test, and flagellin gene typing . A cyclical pattern of shedding of C . jejuni was observed in all the birds . Colonization was highest in the ceca . The ceca of birds receiving plant-protein-based feed had significantly less colonization then the ceca of birds receiving the other types of feed, whereas the differences in colonization of the jejuni and crops were not significant . Characterization by biotyping, serotyping, and flagellin gene typing showed that 95% of the recovered isolates were identical to the strain used for infecting the chicks . However, with the Lior-HL typing scheme, 74% of the recovered isolates were HL untypable . Antimicrobial resistance testing did not reveal significant differences between the infecting strain and the recovered isolates among the different feed groups.

Avian Dis, 2003 Apr-Jun, 47(2), 406 - 14
Genotype analyses of Campylobacter isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts and the reproductive tracts of broiler breeder roosters; Hiett KL et al.; Campylobacter is considered to be the leading bacterial etiologic agent of acute gastroenteritis in humans . Evidence implicates poultry as a major source of the organism for human illness; however, the pathways involved in Campylobacter contamination of poultry flocks, horizontal transmission and/or vertical transmission, remain unclear . Recent evidence implicates breeders as a potential source for Campylobacter contamination of the subsequent broiler offspring . In this investigation, Campylobacter isolated from feces, cloacal swabs, ceca, semen, and vas deferens of 12 breeder broiler roosters were genotyped by both flagellin A short variable region (flaA SVR) DNA sequence analysis and repetitive element (rep)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) . In 9 of 12 roosters, Campylobacter was isolated from multiple sites sampled . Comparison of multiple isolates obtained from individual roosters revealed variable results . In five of the nine roosters, all Campylobacter isolated demonstrated closely related flaA SVR DNA sequences as well as rep-PCR patterns; isolates from these roosters were collected from both the gastrointestinal and the reproductive tracts or from the gastrointestinal tract alone . The remaining four roosters had Campylobacter that were distinct by both typing methods . Isolates from two of these four roosters originated from both the gastrointestinal and the reproductive tracts . Isolates from the remaining two roosters originated from only the reproductive tract . Comparisons of all Campylobacter isolates recovered from a distinct sample type within either the reproductive tract or the gastrointestinal tract (feces, semen, cloaca, vas deferens, or ceca) were quite diverse . No relationship between the genotypes and the sample type could be ascertained . Further investigation is needed to determine the route of contamination and if the presence of Campylobacter within the rooster leads to contamination of the broiler offspring via the fertilized egg.

Am J Trop Med Hyg, 2003 Jun, 68(6), 666 - 70
Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens associated with diarrheal patients in Indonesia; Tjaniadi P et al.; The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns for 2,812 bacterial pathogens isolated from diarrheal patients admitted to hospitals in several provinces in the cities of Jakarta, Padang, Medan, Denpasar, Pontianak, Makassar, and Batam, Indonesia were analyzed from 1995 to 2001 to determine their changing trends in response to eight antibiotics: ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, cephalothin, ceftriaxone, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin . Vibrio cholerae O1 (37.1%) was the pathogen most frequently detected, followed by Shigella spp . (27.3%), Salmonella spp . (17.7%), V . parahaemolyticus (7.3%), Salmonella typhi (3.9%), Campylobacter jejuni (3.6%), V . cholerae non-O1 (2.4%), and Salmonella paratyphi A (0.7%) . Of the 767 Shigella spp . isolated, 82.8% were S . flexneri, 15.0% were S . sonnei, and 2.2% were S . dysenteriae (2.2%) . The re-emergence of Shigella dysenteriae was noted in 1998, after an absence of 15 years . Shigella spp . were resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline . Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi A were susceptible to all antibiotics tested, while Salmonella spp . showed various resistance patterns according to species grouping . A small number of V . cholerae O1 were resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline; however, they were still sensitive to ceftriaxon, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin . Similar results were shown for V . cholerae non-O1 . Campylobacter jejuni showed an increased frequency of resistance to ceftriaxone, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, but was susceptible to erythromycin . This study shows that except for C . jejuni and V . parahaemolyticus, which appeared to be resistant to ciprofloxacin, the majority of the enteric pathogens tested were still susceptible to fluoroquinolones.

J Periodontol, 2003 Jun, 74(6), 803 - 14
Subgingival microflora in Turkish patients with periodontitis; Dogan B et al.; BACKGROUND: No information exists on periodontitis-associated subgingival microbiota from Turkey . We determined the occurrence, interspecies relationships, and clonal characteristics for a group of periodontal bacteria in a Turkish study population . METHODS: Subgingival microbial samples were obtained from patients with localized (LAgP, N = 18) or generalized (GAgP, N = 17) types of aggressive periodontitis, generalized chronic periodontitis (GCP, N = 14), and non-periodontitis subjects (N = 20) . Culture methods were used to recover 6 periodontal bacterial species and yeasts, and a polymerase chain reaction technique was used to detect Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis . Intraspecies characterization of A . actinomycetemcomitans was carried out by serotyping and genotyping . RESULTS: All species, except for Micromonas micros (formerly Peptostreptococcus micros) occurred more frequently (P < 0.05) in periodontitis than non-periodontitis subjects . Detection frequencies for Tannerella forsythensis (formerly Bacteroides forsythus) and Campylobacter rectus differed among the periodontitis subgroups; the lowest frequency occurred in LAgP . The mean proportions of A . actinomycetemcomitans, P . gingivalis, and C . rectus were higher (P < 0.008) in GAgP than in non-periodontitis subjects . Significant positive associations were seen between 7 of the 22 possible combinations (P < 0.05) . A . actinomycetemcomitans serotype c (34%) and non-serotypeable isolates (34%) were the most common antigenic types among the 305 strains analyzed . Eleven arbitrarily primed (AP)-PCR genotypes were distinguished among 273 isolates from 29 subjects . Yeasts were found in 23% of the 69 subjects . CONCLUSIONS: The results on the Turkish study population were generally in line with earlier reports on the occurrence and interspecies relationships of certain bacteria in periodontitis . However, A . actinomycetemcomitans was not overrepresented in LAgP, and the serotype distribution resembled that reported from the East . The high frequency of non-serotypeable isolates suggests local characteristics of the species.

Am J Epidemiol, 2003 Aug 1, 158(3), 234 - 42
Factors associated with increased and decreased risk of Campylobacter infection: a prospective case-control study in Norway; Kapperud G et al.; In 1999-2000, a prospective case-control study of sporadic, domestically acquired campylobacteriosis was conducted in three counties in Norway to identify preventable risk factors and potentially protective factors . A total of 212 cases and 422 population controls matched by age, sex, and geographic area were enrolled . In conditional logistic regression analysis, the following factors were found to be independently associated with an increased risk of Campylobacter infection: drinking undisinfected water, eating at barbecues, eating poultry bought raw, having occupational exposure to animals, and eating undercooked pork . The following factors were independently related to a decreased risk: eating mutton, eating raw fruits or berries, and swimming . Results indicated that infection is more likely to occur as a result of cross-contamination from raw poultry products than because of poultry consumption per se . Drinking undisinfected water, reported by 53% of cases, was a leading risk factor in this study . Drinking water may constitute the common reservoir linking infection in humans and animals, including poultry and wild birds . Insight into the ecology of Campylobacter in freshwater ecosystems may be required to understand the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis . The possibility that certain foods confer protection against campylobacteriosis deserves exploration.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2003 Aug 25, 85(3), 227 - 36
Survival of foodborne pathogens on stainless steel surfaces and cross-contamination to foods; Kusumaningrum HD et al.; The retention of bacteria on food contact surfaces increases the risk of cross-contamination of these microorganisms to food . The risk has been considered to be lowered when the surfaces are dry, partly because bacterial growth and survival would be reduced . However, some non-spore-forming bacteria might be able to withstand dry conditions on surfaces for an extensive period of time . In this study the survival of Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter jejuni on stainless steel surfaces at different initial levels was determined at room temperature . The transfer rates of these pathogens from kitchen sponges to stainless steel surfaces and from these surfaces to foods were also investigated . Staph . aureus was recovered from the surfaces for at least 4 days when the contamination level was high (10(5) CFU/cm2) or moderate (10(3) CFU/cm2) . At low levels (10 CFU/cm2), the surviving numbers decreased below the detection limit (4 CFU/100 cm2) within 2 days . S . enteritidis was recovered from surfaces for at least 4 days at high contamination levels, but at moderate level, the numbers decreased to the detection limit within 24 h and at low level within 1 h . C . jejuni was the most susceptible to slow-air-drying on surfaces; at high contamination levels, the numbers decreased below the detection limit within 4 h . The test microorganisms were readily transmitted from the wet sponges to the stainless steel surfaces and from these surfaces to the cucumber and chicken fillet slices, with the transfer rates varied from 20% to 100% . This study has highlighted the fact that pathogens remain viable on dry stainless steel surfaces and present a contamination hazard for considerable periods of time, dependent on the contamination levels and type of pathogen . Systematic studies on the risks of pathogen transfer associated with surface cleaning using contaminated sponges provide quantitative data from which a model of risks assessment in domestic setting could lead.

Int J Food Microbiol, 2003 Aug 25, 85(3), 213 - 26
The survival of foodborne pathogens during domestic washing-up and subsequent transfer onto washing-up sponges, kitchen surfaces and food; Mattick K et al.; In this study, the survival of Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli O157: H7, when exposed to a range of constant temperatures (47-60 degrees C), in hard or soft water, in the presence/absence of detergent (0-0.3%) and organic matter, and during drying, was investigated . Further experiments used a washing-up process simulation, where soiled dishes contaminated with bacteria were washed in a bowl of warm water containing detergent . In addition, this study considered the risk of bacterial transfer onto (1) sterile dishes and sponges via contaminated water, (2) kitchen surfaces wiped with a contaminated sponge, (3) items placed in direct contact with a contaminated kitchen surface, (4) food placed on a contaminated dish or (5) dishes from contaminated food . A proportion of dishes remained contaminated with all pathogen types after a typical washing-up . Water hardness did not appear to affect survival . E . coli, and to a lesser extent Salmonella, survived towel- or air-drying on dishes and after towel-drying the cloth became contaminated on every occasion, regardless of the test organism . A proportion of sterile dishes washed after contaminated dishes became contaminated with pathogens but transfer from dishes onto food was rare . Washing-up sponges frequently became contaminated with pathogens . The results of this study highlight the potential for survival and cross contamination of food borne pathogens in the kitchen environment.

J Endod, 2003 Jul, 29(7), 438 - 41
Positive and negative bacterial associations involving Dialister pneumosintes in primary endodontic infections; Siqueira JF et al.; Dialister pneumosintes is an anaerobic Gram-negative rod that has been recently implicated as a candidate endodontic pathogen . In this study, samples taken from abscessed teeth and infected root canals associated with asymptomatic or symptomatic periradicular lesions were examined for the occurrence of bacterial associations involving D . pneumosintes . DNA was extracted from the samples, and the presence of D . pneumosintes and 16 other bacterial species was determined by means of species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction . Positive and negative associations involving D . pneumosintes were investigated by computing the odds ratio of D . pneumosintes being found in a sample from endodontic infection in co-infection with one of the other target species . The association between the pairs containing D . pneumosintes and the occurrence of pain also was evaluated . D . pneumosintes was always detected in mixed infections with at least two of the other target species . D . pneumosintes was positively associated with Treponema denticola, Porphyromonas endodontalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus micros, Campylobacter rectus, Prevotella intermedia, T . pectinovorum, and T . vincentii . Negative associations were observed with Bacteroides forsythus, P . gingivalis, and Actinomyces israelii . No pair containing D . pneumosintes was found to be significantly associated with symptomatic cases (p > 0.01) . The findings of this study lend considerable support to the notion of D . pneumosintes being an important endodontic pathogen, usually in a mixed infection . Positive associations of this species with other highly prevalent species, such as T . denticola and P . endodontalis, suggest that bacterial synergism can occur and thereby play an important role in the pathogenesis of different forms of periradicular lesions.

Infect Immun, 2003 Aug, 71(8), 4516 - 25
Characterization of the novel factor paa involved in the early steps of the adhesion mechanism of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli; Batisson I et al.; Nonenterotoxigenic porcine Escherichia coli strains belonging to the serogroup O45 have been associated with postweaning diarrhea in swine and adhere to intestinal epithelial cells in a characteristic attaching and effacing (A/E) pattern . O45 porcine enteropathogenic E . coli (PEPEC) strain 86-1390 induces typical A/E lesions in a pig ileal explant model . Using TnphoA transposon insertion mutagenesis on strain 86-1390, we found a mutant that did not induce A/E lesions . The insertion was identified in a gene designated paa (porcine A/E-associated gene) . Sequence analysis of paa revealed an open reading frame of 753 bp encoding a 27.6-kDa protein which displayed 100, 51.8, and 49% homology with Paa of enterohemorrhagic E . coli O157:H7 strains (EDL933 and Sakai), PEB3 of Campylobacter jejuni, and AcfC of Vibrio cholerae, respectively . Chromosomal localization studies indicated that the region containing paa was inserted between the yciD and yciE genes at about 28.3 min of the E . coli K-12 chromosome . The presence of paa and eae sequences in the porcine O45 strains is highly correlated with the A/E phenotype . However, the observation that three eae-positive but paa-negative PEPEC O45 strains were A/E negative provides further evidence for the importance of the paa gene in the A/E activity of O45 strains . As well, the complementation of the paa mutant restored the A/E activity of the 86-1390 strain, showing the involvement of Paa in PEPEC pathogenicity . These observations suggest that Paa contributes to the early stages of A/E E . coli virulence.

Infect Immun, 2003 Aug, 71(8), 4250 - 9
Critical role of multidrug efflux pump CmeABC in bile resistance and in vivo colonization of Campylobacter jejuni; Lin J et al.; CmeABC functions as a multidrug efflux pump contributing to the resistance of Campylobacter to a broad range of antimicrobials . In this study, we examined the role of CmeABC in bile resistance and its contribution to the adaptation of Campylobacter jejuni in the intestinal tract of the chicken, a natural host and a major reservoir for Campylobacter . Inactivation of cmeABC drastically decreased the resistance of Campylobacter to various bile salts . Addition of choleate (2 mM) in culture medium impaired the in vitro growth of the cmeABC mutants but had no effect on the growth of the wild-type strain . Bile concentration varied in the duodenum, jejunum, and cecum of chicken intestine, and the inhibitory effect of the intestinal extracts on the in vitro growth of Campylobacter was well correlated with the total bile concentration in the individual sections of chicken intestine . When inoculated into chickens, the wild-type strain colonized the birds as early as day 2 postinoculation with a density as high as 10(7) CFU/g of feces . In contrast, the cmeABC mutants failed to colonize any of the inoculated chickens throughout the study . The minimum infective dose for the cmeABC mutant was at least 2.6 x 10(4)-fold higher than that of the wild-type strain . Complementation of the cmeABC mutants with a wild-type cmeABC allele in trans fully restored the in vitro growth in bile-containing media and the in vivo colonization to the levels of the wild-type strain . Immunoblotting analysis indicated that CmeABC is expressed and immunogenic in chickens experimentally infected with C . jejuni . Together, these findings provide compelling evidence that CmeABC, by mediating resistance to bile salts in the intestinal tract, is required for successful colonization of C . jejuni in chickens . Inhibition of CmeABC function may not only control antibiotic resistance but also prevent the in vivo colonization of pathogenic Campylobacter.

J Neurol Sci, 2003 Sep 15, 213(1-2), 55 - 60
Association of anti-GM1 antibodies but not of anti-cytomegalovirus, Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori IgG, with a poor outcome in Guillain-Barré syndrome; Annunziata P et al.; Few reports exist on the influence of humoral immune responses, against microorganisms involved in infections preceding Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and GM1, on clinical outcome . Nor is there any data on the relation between anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies and prognosis in patients with GBS . To address these questions, we assayed and correlated serum anti-GM1 IgG and IgM and anti-H . pylori, anti-Campylobacter jejuni and anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG with duration of hospitalization of GBS patients and prognosis at discharge . Patients with anti-GM1 alone or associated with anti-H . pylori antibodies had significant longer hospitalization to reach a low clinical score at discharge than those without (P=0.004) . A significant difference was also found for the association of anti-GM1 with anti-CMV antibodies (P=0.019) . A weak but significant association of anti-GM1 and anti-C . jejuni antibodies with long hospitalization and worse prognosis at discharge was also found (P=0.02) . The statistical significance increased when patients with anti-GM1 and anti-microorganism antibodies were compared with those displaying anti-H . pylori or anti-CMV only . These findings provide further evidence that the level of circulating anti-GM1 IgG plays a role in determining recovery from disability in GBS patients irrespective of other IgG against microorganisms causing infections preceding GBS.

J Neurol Sci, 2003 Sep 15, 213(1-2), 11 - 4
Induction of conduction block by Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides and focal neural insult; Ifergane G et al.; A systemic exposure to gram negative LPS have caused transient conduction abnormalities in a certain strain of rats probably associated with the action of cytokines secreted by macrophages . Our previous studies demonstrated that anti-GM1 antibodies induced in rats by the cross-reactive Cj-LPS, caused no conduction abnormalities . We designed the present study to evaluate the effect of systemic exposure to Cj-LPS on nerve conduction after a focal minor neural trauma . Female Lewis rats were sensitized against KLH by repetitive subcutaneous injections . After 28 days rats were intraneurally injected with saline in the right sciatic nerve and concomitantly with intraperitoneal Cj-LPS . Sciatic nerve conduction studies were performed on days 0, 1, 2, 3, and 7 after injections . Nerve conduction blocks developed in all the rats (n=10) which received an intraneural injection of saline concomitantly with the systemic Cj-LPS exposure, before titers of anti-ganglioside antibodies were detected . We conclude that humoral factors (possibly cytokines), other than antibodies are secreted by lymphocytes and macrophages stimulated by gram negative LPS, and cause functional conduction abnormalities when the blood-nerve barrier is disrupted.

Int J Hyg Environ Health, 2003 Jun, 206(3), 211 - 6
Phenotypic and genotypic relationship between Campylobacter spp isolated from humans and chickens in Northern Ireland--a comparison of three phenotyping and two genotyping schemes; Moore JE et al.; Human campylobacteriosis is currently the most common cause of acute bacterial gastroenteritis on the island of Ireland, accounting for over 3,000 laboratory reports per year, where circa 2,000 reports originate from the Republic of Ireland and circa 1,000 reports from Northern Ireland . Elsewhere, consumption of contaminated poultry has been associated with the zoonotic transmission of disease, therefore it was the aim of this study to examine the phenotypic and genotypic relatedness of campylobacters isolated from chickens and humans locally . Sixty isolates were subtyped using phenotyping techniques (biotyping, phage-typing), as well as genotyping techniques (multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE), ribotyping) and the data compared . The frequency of shared phenotypes and genotypes between poultry and humans varied depending on the typing technique employed ranging from 98.2% of human isolates sharing a similar resistotyping (MAST) disc type with poultry strains to 20% similarity with MEE typing . Overall, this small study is the first report on phenotypic and genotypic relatedness between human and poultry campylobacters in Northern Ireland, isolated under controlled conditions . The study demonstrated an association between chicken and human sub-species types, taken from a relatively contained epidemiological environment . Further work is required with larger numbers of isolates coupled with typing schemes, which are able to reliably cluster strains from chicken and humans, which share high degrees of clonality, before local poultry can be conclusively proven to be a significant source of human campylobacteriosis.

Ugeskr Laeger, 2003 Jun 9, 165(24), 2485 - 6
{Antibody response following Campylobacter infections determined by ELISA}; Engberg JH et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adapted to measure immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA classes of human serum antibody to Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli . A total of 631 sera from 210 patients with verified Campylobacter enteritis were examined at various intervals after infection, and a control group of 164 sera were tested to determine the cut-off for negative results . With 90 percentile specificity, IgG, IgM, and IgA showed a sensitivity of 71, 60, and 80%, respectively . By combining all three antibody classes, the sensitivity was 92% within 35 days after infection, whereas within 90 days after infection, a combined sensitivity of 90% was found (IgG 68%, IgM 52%, and IgA 76%) . Furthermore, we showed that 16% of the patients developed rheumatological symptoms after their Campylobacter gastrointestinal infection . We conclude that measurement of Campylobacter antibodies is a useful diagnostic tool to determine Campylobacter infections preceeding Guillain-Barre syndrome and for the investigation of post-enteritis reactive arthritis.

Muscle Nerve, 2003 Aug, 28(2), 246 - 50
Axonal pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome without Anti-GT1a IgG antibody; Arai M et al.; We report two cases of pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) . The patients developed dysphagia and weakness of the neck and arms subsequent to Campylobacter jejuni infection . Oropharyngeal palsy recovered poorly . Electrophysiological findings demonstrated axonal conduction failure . Anti-GD1a immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody was detected in one case, and anti-GM1b IgG antibody in another . Anti-GT1a IgG and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were negative in both cases . The current cases suggest that the PCB and axonal variants of GBS form a continuous spectrum from the viewpoint of electrophysiological studies as well as antiganglioside serology.

Curr Pharm Des, 2003, 9(24), 1951 - 5
A point of view: The need to identify an antigen in psyconeuroimmunological disorders; Covelli V et al.; Several lines of evidence support a mutual relationship between the nervous system and the immune system . Therefore, it is not surprising that some neuropsychiatric disorders are also characterized by immune abnormalities . In patients with phobic disorders and in patients with migraine without aura some common immune abnormalities have been detected and, in particular, natural immunity deficits, exaggerated release of proinflammatory cytokines and circulating bacterial endotoxins have been found . In other neurological disease, some etiologic factors have been detected as in the case of Guillain-Barre syndrome in which molecular mimicry between Campylobacter jejuni endotoxin and GM1 ganglioside may cause an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy . On the other hand, attempts to identify an antigen have been made in patients with Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia . Finally, the chronic fatigue syndrome, an old illness in search for an antigen, risk factors and precipitating agents have been described but evidence for a specific antigen is still lacking.

J Food Prot, 2003 Jul, 66(7), 1190 - 7
Growth of autobioluminescent Campylobacter jejuni in response to various environmental conditions; Kelana LC et al.; An autobioluminescent Campylobacter jejuni organism generated from the fusion of luxCDABE genes from Xenorhabdus luminescens to the flaA promoter of C . jejuni was used in conjunction with gel-stabilized gradient plates to map the responses of this organism to three environmental factors (pH, NaCl concentration, and temperature) and various concentrations of L-fucose, D-fucose, and sodium desoxycholate . The minimum, optimum, and maximum temperatures for the growth of autobioluminescent C . jejuni ATCC 35921 in solid media were found to be 30, 40, and 45 degrees C, respectively . At its optimum growth temperature, C . jejuni ATCC 35921 was able to grow well at pHs of 5.5 to 8.0 and in the presence of up to 1.70 to 1.75% NaCl . At its minimum growth temperature, however, C . jejuni ATCC 35921 could grow only at pHs of 6.5 to 8.0 and in the presence of up to 0.5% NaCl . L-Fucose, D-fucose, and sodium desoxycholate were shown to inhibit the growth of C . jejuni . Autobioluminescent C . jejuni was also used to determine whether the flaA promoter responds to both environmental conditions and chemical stimulants . While sodium desoxycholate was found to down-regulate C . jejuni flaA promoter activity, L-fucose was found to up-regulate its activity . Sodium chloride, pH, and D-fucose were all shown to exert no significant effects on promoter activity . Bacterial bioluminescence in combination with two-dimensional gradient gels is a powerful tool for studying the behavior of bacteria exposed to various environments.

J Food Prot, 2003 Jul, 66(7), 1146 - 53
A semiquantitative approach for evaluating safety assurance levels for Salmonella spp . throughout a food production chain; Sauli I et al.; Various safety assurance measures are implemented in Switzerland throughout the food production chain to prevent foods of animal origin from being contaminated with Salmonella . The data that are generated from the implementation of these measures are dispersed and heterogeneous . This hinders a general overview and makes a comprehensive national evaluation of the safety assurance level difficult . A semiquantitative method that considers the quality and relevance of the various safety assurance measures for Salmonella spp . was developed . The method uses the data generated from the implementation of safety assurance measures on a national basis (gathered by interviewing stakeholders in the production step) . By assembling and analyzing the data systematically, the safety assurance level for Salmonella spp . can be evaluated at every step of the food production chain . This method allows the detection of strengths and weaknesses of the safety system . The systematic evaluation procedures permit comparisons between production steps and product categories . The method was used for evaluating the safety assurance levels throughout the production chain of eggs and egg products in Switzerland . Results of the analysis showed that the overall safety assurance levels for Salmonella spp . at all production steps for eggs and egg products were good . The relatively straightforward implementation of the method made it particularly appropriate in the context of a preliminary evaluation . The method does not have the same high level of detail that is provided by microbial quantitative risk assessments, but it allows an analyst to provide meaningful results when the large amount of data required for a quantitative approach are not present while including the entire "farm to fork" continuum . It may be used as a basis for more in-depth assessments of food safety levels within various production sectors . The method could be adapted for evaluating the safety assurance for other zoonotic foodborne pathogens of interest, such as Campylobacter spp.

BMC Infect Dis . 2003 Jul 17;3(1):16.
Myocarditis related to Campylobacter jejuni infection: a case report; Cunningham C et al.; BACKGROUND: Myocarditis can develop as a complication of various infections and is most commonly linked to enterovirus infections . Myocarditis is rarely associated with bacterial infections; salmonellosis and shigellosis have been the most frequently reported bacterial cause . We report a case of myocarditis related to Campylobacter jejuni enteritis . CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old previously healthy man presented with a history of prolonged chest pain radiating to the jaw and the left arm . Five days prior to the onset of chest pain, he developed bloody diarrhea, fever and chills . Creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB were elevated to 289 U/L and 28.7 microg/L . Troponin I was 30.2 microg/L . The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed T wave inversion in the lateral and inferior leads . The chest pain resolved within 24 hours of admission . The patient had a completely normal ECG stress test . The patient was initiated on ciprofloxacin 500 mg po bid when Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from the stool . Diarrhea resolved within 48 hours of initiation of ciprofloxacin . The diagnosis of Campylobacter enteritis and related myocarditis was made based on the clinical and laboratory results and the patient was discharged from the hospital in stable condition . CONCLUSION: Myocarditis can be a rare but severe complication of infectious disease and should be considered as a diagnosis in patients presenting with chest pain and elevated cardiac enzymes in the absence of underlying coronary disease . It can lead to cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure . There are only a few reported cases of myocarditis associated with Campylobacter infection.

J Antimicrob Chemother, 2003 Aug, 52(2), 220 - 3 Epub 2003 Jul 15.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter spp . isolated from broiler chickens in Northern Ireland; Oza AN et al.; Between February 2000 and October 2001, cloacal swabs were collected from 387 broiler chicken flocks in Northern Ireland . Campylobacter isolates from the 262 positive flocks were tested with common antimicrobial agents using a disc diffusion method and by Etests . Resistance to erythromycin, gentamicin and chloramphenicol was <1%, whereas for ampicillin, nalidixic acid and tetracycline, resistance was 33%, 10% and 13%, respectively . Ciprofloxacin resistance was 3%, one of the lowest in recent reports from studies on human or poultry isolates . Sequence data of the quinolone resistance-determining region of the gyrA gene showed a mutation leading to Thr-86 to Ile substitution among highly resistant ciprofloxacin isolates . Only 0.8% of the isolates studied were resistant to four or more antibiotics.

An Sist Sanit Navar, 2002 Sep-Dec, 25(3), 273 - 80
{Aetiology and antibiotic sensitivity of the most frequent outpatient infections, except those of the lower respiratory tract}; Mazon A et al.; Reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility profiles is recommended in order to improve antibiotic prescribing policies and to avoid the emergence of bacterial resistance . During 2001, susceptibility data from bacterial isolates collected from urine, faeces and ear swabs and antimicrobial susceptibility for Streptococcus pyogenes during the first five months in 2002 were recorded in the Health Area of Pamplona (389,489 inhabitants) and compared against data for antibiotic prescriptions . More than 80% of bacteria from urine were susceptible to amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, oral cephalosporins, fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin . Of the Salmonella Enteritidis isolates, 98.3% were susceptible to trimethroprim-sulfamethoxazole and 96.6% of Campylobacter jejuni to erythromycin . Amoxicillin remained susceptible for more than 95.5% of middle ear isolates . Gram-negative bacilli isolates from otitis externa swabs were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and polimyxin B in over 80% of cases . Of the Streptococcus pyogenes isolated, 22.5% were resistant to erythromycin . Antimicrobial consumption in defined daily doses per 1,000 inhabitants, day (DID) during 2001 was 14.8 . Here, we highlight the over-prescription of some broad-spectrum antibiotics and macrolides for the empiric treatment of infectious diseases in our area . Knowledge of local susceptibility patterns is essential in order to inform empiric therapy.

J Appl Microbiol, 2003, 95(2), 234 - 41
The incidence of Campylobacter spp . on processed turkey from processing plants in the midwestern United States; Logue CM et al.; AIM: The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Campylobacter spp . on turkey, presented for processing at participating production plants located in the midwest region of the United States . METHODS AND RESULTS: The two participating plants were visited on a monthly basis for a period of 1 year . Sampling of carcasses was carried out using a surface swab technique . Swabs were obtained from carcasses at two points on the production line - prechill and postchill . In addition, samples of chill water were also obtained for examination . Isolation and detection of Campylobacter was carried out using enrichment in Preston broth with recovery of the organism on blood free Campylobacter selective agar (CCDA) . Isolates recovered were screened and identified using the API Campy identification system . The study found that 34.9% of all samples tested were positive for Campylobacter spp . The overall, contamination rates observed for both plants were relatively similar (39.2% for plant A and 30.6% for plant B) . Differences were observed in the incidence of Campylobacter spp . on prechill vs postchill carcasses (i.e . 40.8% prechill vs 37.6% postchill for plant A and 41.8% prechill vs 19.8% postchill for plant B) . Campylobacter species most often isolated included Camp . jejuni and Camp . coli . Other species recovered were Camp . fetus fetus, Camp . upsaliensis and Camp . lari . CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of Campylobacter spp . on processed poultry was relatively common . Factors such as the processing plant examined, season and the farms presenting birds for processing influenced the incidence of the pathogen . SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Differences were observed in the prevalence of Campylobacter spp . isolated from the two plants examined . The study suggests a seasonal prevalence of Campylobacter in the cooler months with processing conditions also influencing the overall occurrence of the organism . The incidence, isolation and detection of Campylobacter spp . from processed poultry are discussed.

Acta Neurol Scand, 2003 Aug, 108(2), 102 - 8
Anti-ganglioside antibodies and clinical outcome of patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in northeast Brazil; Dourado ME et al.; OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to investigate the frequency of GM1 antibodies and to assess whether exposure to Campylobacter jejuni was associated with a distinct clinical variant of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) or disease outcome in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil . MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-one patients with a presumed diagnosis of GBS were enrolled and prospectively studied between June 1994 and November 1999 . RESULTS: Anti-GM1 was present in 51.2% (n = 21) of patients . The presence of anti-GM1 was significantly associated with acute axonal motor neuropathy when compared to acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (P = 0.01) . Patients with anti-GM1 antibodies presented distal muscle involvement and fewer sensory deficits . Age, time to nadir and ventilatory assistance were not associated with anti-GM1 antibodies . Eight out of 21 patients (32%) presented with anti-C . jejuni antibodies . Clinical features were similar for patients with GBS with positive and negative C . jejuni antibodies . Anti-GM1 antibodies were associated with C . jejuni infection (P = 0.0005) . Presence of anti-GM1 and C . jejuni antibodies did not indicate a worse prognosis . CONCLUSION: Patients with GBS and anti-GM1 antibodies had more distal muscle weakness, fewer sensory deficits, more axonal degeneration and C . jejuni infection, but these findings were not associated with a worse prognosis.

Clin Infect Dis, 2003 Jul 15, 37(2), 307 - 10 Epub 2003 Jul 09.
Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Campylobacter jejuni infection in England, 2000-2001; Tam CC et al.; Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare but serious complication of infectious intestinal disease due to Campylobacter jejuni . To date, estimates of the burden of C . jejuni-associated GBS have been based on limited data regarding the proportion of GBS attributable to this pathogen . In this paper, we combine data obtained from Sweden and a large study of infectious intestinal disease with routine and surveillance data from England to estimate the number and proportion of GBS cases attributable to C . jejuni . We estimate that, between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001, symptomatic C . jejuni infection was responsible for 157 cases of GBS, constituting approximately 15% of all GBS cases in England.

J Infect, 2003 Jul, 47(1), 28 - 32
Campylobacter coli - an important foodborne pathogen; Tam CC et al.; OBJECTIVES: Campylobacters are the most common bacterial cause of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in temperate countries . C . jejuni is the predominant cause of campylobacter IID, but the impact of other, less prevalent species has largely been ignored . Here, we present estimates of the burden of indigenously acquired foodborne disease (IFD) due to Campylobacter coli, the second most common cause of human campylobacteriosis . METHODS: Data from surveillance sources and specific epidemiologic studies were used to calculate the number of illnesses, presentations to general practice (GP), hospital admissions, hospital occupancy and deaths due to indigenous foodborne C . coli IID in England and Wales for the year 2000 . RESULTS: We estimate that in the year 2000, C . coli accounted for over 25,000 cases of IFD . This organism was responsible for more than 12,000 presentations to GP, 1000 hospital admissions, nearly 4000 bed days of hospital occupancy and 11 deaths . The cost to patients and the National Health Service was estimated at nearly pound 4 million . CONCLUSIONS: Although C . coli comprises a minority of human campylobacter disease, its health burden is considerable and greater than previously thought . Targeted research on this organism is required for its successful control.

Rev Prat, 2003 May 15, 53(10), 1055 - 62
{New foodborne infections}; Rottman M et al.; The last 20 years have witnessed a profound reshaping of the spectrum of foodborne infections in industrialized countries . Food products are overall very safe, but the industrial scale and standardisation of food production have spawned spectacular epidemics, bringing into the light previously little known microorganisms such as Listeria or Escherichia coli O157:H7, the causative agent of the "hamburger disease" . The recent "mad cow disease" crisis is another illustration of a food industry gone astray under the pressure of underlying economic stakes . Through unprecedented efforts from the countries involved--epitomized in France by the creation of the Agence francaise de securite sannitaire des aliments in 1999--these diseases are about to be curtailed in their epidemic form . But new dangers emerge yet with Campylobacter infections, Norovirus gastroenteritis or the spread of multi-resistant bacteria . Issues mostly unknown to the general public that are likely to be strongly publicized in the future.

J Clin Microbiol, 2003 Jul, 41(7), 3387 - 91
Detection of Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa of patients with gastroduodenal diseases by PCR-restriction analysis using the RNA polymerase gene (rpoB); Lim CY et al.; A novel PCR restriction analysis method using the RNA polymerase beta-subunit- coding gene (rpoB) was employed to both detect and identify Helicobacter pylori in biopsy specimens and culture isolates . The rpoB DNAs (458 bp) were specifically amplified by PCR with the Helicobacter-specific primers (HF and HR) . Based on the determined rpoB sequences of the culture isolates, an H . pylori-specific restriction site, Tru9I, was found . H . pylori can be identified by observing two discernible DNA fragments (288 and 138 bp) after Tru9I digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis . The rpoB PCR and subsequent restriction analysis (PRA) enabled the specific detection and identification of H . pylori in biopsy specimens from patients with gastroduodenal diseases . The rpoB PRA conferred a compatible or a slightly higher positive rate (53.7%) than did the Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test (50.4%) and glmM PCR (48.8%), suggesting that it is useful for diagnosing an H . pylori infection without culture in the clinical laboratory.

Emerg Med J, 2003 Jul, 20(4), 335 - 8
Acute bacterial gastroenteritis: a study of adult patients with positive stool cultures treated in the emergency department; Chan SS et al.; OBJECTIVES: To investigate the presenting clinical features of acute bacterial gastroenteritis in adult patients treated as outpatients in the emergency department (ED), and the pathogens responsible in this setting and population; and to identify the frequency with which positive stool culture result changes management . METHOD: This was a retrospective study of all patients who attended the accident and emergency department of an university affiliated hospital in Hong Kong over a 12 month period, who satisfied the following inclusion criteria: (a) age >/=16, (b) presented with acute gastroenteritis, (c) treated as outpatients with or without observation, and (d) had positive stool cultures . RESULTS: One hundred and thirty patients were included . Pathogens identified were Vibrio parahaemolyticus (42.3%), Samonella spp (34.6%), Plesiomonas spp (9.2%), Campylobacter spp (6.9%), Aeromonas spp (6.9%), and Shigella spp (6.2%) . Mean highest body temperature was 37.5 degrees C (95% confidence intervals (CI) 37.3 to 37.6) . Bloody diarrhoea was present in 14 patients (10.8%) . Mean duration of diarrhoea, from onset to the completion of stay in ED, was 2.2 days (95% CI 1.7 to 2.7) . Likewise, mean duration of abdominal pain was 1.8 days (95% CI 1.5 to 2.1) . Mean number of unformed stools per day was 9.3 (95% CI 8.3 to 10.3) . Change of management, subsequent to the availability of positive stool culture results, was not required in 115 (88.5%) patients . Ciprofloxacin resistance occurred in eight (6.2%) cases, and seven of nine campylobacter isolates . Campylobacter positive patients had a significantly longer duration of abdominal pain (p=0.0236) and were less likely to be dehydrated (p=0.0103) . CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with bacterial gastroenteritis do not present with high fever, bloody diarrhoea, or persistent diarrhoea, but generally have quite severe diarrhoea . Stool cultures do not change management for most patients . Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the commonest bacterial pathogen identified.

Clin Infect Dis, 2003 Jul 1, 37(1), 131 - 6 Epub 2003 Jun 25.
Cluster of erythromycin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni subsp . jejuni from 1999 to 2001 in men who have sex with men, Québec, Canada; Gaudreau C et al.; From December 1999 to November 2001, a cluster of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni subsp . jejuni enterocolitis was suspected within the male population of Montreal . Nine men, aged 26-40 years, presented with an erythromycin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant, tetracycline-susceptible C . jejuni enterocolitis . In March 1998 and February 2000, 2 additional men, aged 23 and 27 years, were infected with an erythromycin-resistant, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline-susceptible C . jejuni . All isolates were identical according to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and flagellin typing . Epidemiological data suggested a sexually transmitted enteric infection; all patients infected with the locally acquired epidemic strain were men, the 8 patients for whom sexual orientation data were available identified themselves as men who have sex with men (MSM), and 3 of the patients had had a sexually transmitted Shigella sonnei infection during a proven outbreak among MSM . Eight patients, 6 of whom were identified as MSM, resided in a predominantly homosexual district of Montreal or its surrounding neighborhoods . The emergence of multidrug-resistant C . jejuni justifies routine susceptibility-testing of these bacteria . MSM should be educated about the prevention of sexually transmitted enteric pathogens.

Can J Anaesth, 2003 Jun-Jul, 50(6), 541 - 6
The EmulSiv filter removes microbial contamination from propofol but is not a substitute for aseptic technique; Hall WC et al.; PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of the EmulSiv filter (EF) to remove extrinsic microbial contaminants from propofol . METHODS: Aliquots of Staphylococcus aureus (S . aureus), Candida albicans (C . albicans), Klebsiella pneumoniae (K . pneumoniae), Moraxella osloensis (M . osloensis), Enterobacter agglomerans (E . agglomerans), Escherichia coli (E . coli), Serratia marcescens (S . marcescens), Moraxella catarrhalis (M . catarrhalis), Haemophilus influenzae (H . influenzae) and Campylobacter jejuni (C . jejuni) were inoculated into vials containing 20 mL of sterile propofol . The unfiltered inoculated propofol solutions served as controls . Ten millilitres and 20 mL samples of the inoculated propofol were filtered through the EF . All solutions were then subplated onto three culture plates using a precision 1 micro L calibrated platinum loop and incubated . The number of colony forming units (CFU) were counted . Data were analyzed using a one-sample t test, and a P value of less than 0.05 was selected as the level of statistical significance . RESULTS: The EF was able to completely remove CFU of S . aureus, C . albicans, K . pneumoniae, M . osloensis, E . agglomerans, E . coli, S . marcescens, and M . catarrhalis (P < 0.05) . A small number of H . influenzae CFU were able to evade filtration in both the 10 mL and 20 mL samples . C . jejuni CFU were able to evade filtration in only the 10 mL sample . CONCLUSIONS: The EF removes the majority of microbial contaminates from propofol with the exception of H . influenzae and C . jejuni . Although the EF is capable of removing most of the microbial contamination produced by H . influenzae and C . jejuni, a few CFU are capable of evading filtration . Consequently, even the use of a filter capable of removing microbial contaminants is not a substitute for meticulous aseptic technique and prompt administration when propofol is used.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 469 - 79
Outbreaks of infectious disease associated with private drinking water supplies in England and Wales 1970-2000; Said B et al.; In England and Wales over the last 30 years there have been 25 reported outbreaks of infection, associated with private water supplies (PWS) . The majority (16 outbreaks) were reported after the introduction of enhanced surveillance . Although PWS only serve 0.5% of the population, 36% of drinking water outbreaks are associated with PWS . The main pathogen, campylobacter, was implicated in 13 (52%) outbreaks . Most reported outbreaks (88%) occurred in commercial or Category Two supplies, which potentially affect larger populations . The main factors implicated in these outbreaks are temporary or transient populations, treatment (lack or failure), the presence of animals and heavy rains . The public health problem associated with PWS could be prevented by the identification and understanding of risk factors, by the proper protection of water sources and adequate treatment and maintenance . This could be facilitated through the introduction of a risk assessment as part of a scheme for PWS.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 461 - 8
Milkborne general outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease, England and Wales, 1992-2000; Gillespie IA et al.; From 1 January 1992 to 31 December 2000, 27 milkborne general outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease (IID) were reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (CDSC) . These outbreaks represented a fraction (2%) of all outbreaks of foodborne origin (N = 1774) reported to CDSC, but were characterized by significant morbidity . Unpasteurized milk (52%) was the most commonly reported vehicle of infection in milkborne outbreaks, with milk sold as pasteurized accounting for the majority of the rest (37%) . Salmonellas (37%), Vero cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 (33%) and campylobacters (26%) were the most commonly detected pathogens, and most outbreaks were linked to farms (67%) . This report highlights the importance of VTEC O157 as a milkborne pathogen and the continued role of unpasteurized milk in human disease.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 431 - 41
Laboratory surveillance of bacterial gastroenteric pathogens in The Netherlands, 1991-2001; van Pelt W et al.; Results of the Dutch laboratory surveillance of bacterial gastroenteritis between 1991 and 2001 are presented and compared with recent findings in general practices and in the community . Between 1996 and 2000 the mean annual number of stools screened by sentinel laboratories was about 1000 samples/100,000 inhabitants, which is 4% of the estimated annual incidence of gastroenteritis in the Dutch population . Campylobacter (36/100,000 inhabitants) and salmonella (24/100,000 inhabitants) were the main pathogens isolated . Since 1996, the incidence of laboratory confirmed salmonellosis decreased by 30%, predominantly among young children . The incidence of campylobacter was highest in urban areas and Salmonella Enteritidis emerged as the predominant serotype in urban areas . Between 1991 and 2001, multi-resistant Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 emerged to comprise up to 15% of all salmonella isolates in 2001 . Reported rates of Shigella spp . and Yersinia spp . varied little, with average annual incidences of 3.2 and 1.2 cases/100,000 inhabitants, respectively . Escherichia coli O157 (90% STEC) was scarcely found (0.26/100,000).

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 377 - 86
Campylobacter jejuni isolated from poultry and humans in Styria, Austria: epidemiology and ciprofloxacin resistance; Hein I et al.; Sixty-six broiler flocks were sampled to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp . at slaughter in 1998 . Thirty flocks (45%) tested positive and C . jejuni was identified in all isolates . Combined pulsed-field gel electrophoresis/amplified fragment length polymorphism (PFGE/AFLP) subtyping of 177 isolates from 24 positive flocks revealed 62 subtypes; 16 flocks harboured more than one subtype . When subtyping 101 clinical C . jejuni isolates collected in the same time period and area, 60 PFGE/AFLP types were identified . Comparison of subtypes from poultry and human isolates revealed three shared PFGE/AFLP types, which were present in 11 human isolates . Fifty per cent of all poultry isolates and 39% of all human isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin . The present study confirms the increase in ciprofloxacin resistance in both human and poultry C . jejuni isolates in Austria, as observed in several countries worldwide . A small number of human isolates shared PFGE/AFLP types with poultry isolates, however, further studies should also focus on the identification of other sources of C . jejuni infection in humans.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 367 - 75
Point source outbreaks of Campylobacter jejuni infection--are they more common than we think and what might cause them?
Gillespie IA, O'Brien SJ, Adak GK, Tam CC, Frost JA, Bolton FJ, Tompkins DS; Campylobacter Sentinel Surveillance Scheme Collaborators.
Despite being the commonest bacterial cause of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in England and Wales, outbreaks of campylobacter infection are rarely reported . However, data from the Campylobacter Sentinel Surveillance Scheme suggested that outbreaks might be more common than was previously suspected, since a high proportion of cases reported other illness in the home or in the community at the same time as their illness . To identify factors that might lead to these apparent outbreaks, the exposures of cases of Campylobacter jejuni infection reporting other illness, either in the home or the community, were compared with those for cases not reporting other illness using case-case methodology . Illness in the home was associated with consuming organic meats in the winter, having contact with a pet suffering from diarrhoea or visiting a farm in the 2 weeks before the onset of symptoms . Illness in the community was associated with the consumption of foods in restaurants or drinking unpasteurized milk . Prevention of campylobacter infection requires that better methods of outbreak detection and investigation are developed, which in turn should lead to a better understanding of risk factors.

Epidemiol Infect, 2003 Jun, 130(3), 353 - 66
A case-control study of risk factors for sporadic campylobacter infections in Denmark; Neimann J et al.; A case control study comprising 282 cases and 319 matched controls was conducted in Denmark during 1996-7 . Two estimates of the odds ratio (OR) were determined for each risk factor with and without 'protective factors' fitted into the final model . Consumption of undercooked poultry (OR 4.5; 8.2), consumption of red meat at a barbecue (OR 2.3; 4.1), consumption of grapes (OR 1.6; 2.8) and drinking unpasteurized milk (OR 2.3; 11.8) were identified as risk factors in both models . Frequent consumption of pork chops (OR 4.4) and daily contact with domestic animals and pets were identified as risk factors in one of the two models only . Finally, foreign travel was found to be a significant risk factor (OR 2.5) . Seasonal and regional interaction was observed for several risk factors and the time elapsed from interviewing of cases to interviewing of controls seemed to influence the effect of certain seasonal dependent risk factors.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2003 Jul, 47(7), 2358 - 61
Susceptibilities of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from Germany to ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline; Wagner J et al.; To elucidate Campylobacter jejuni resistance to antibiotics in Germany, MICs of ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline were determined (using agar dilution) for 144 clinical isolates . The data indicate a considerable ciprofloxacin resistance (45.1%) without a clonal relationship of the strains and a greater in vitro activity of moxifloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin.

Curr Opin Rheumatol, 2003 Jul, 15(4), 408 - 12
Microbial factors in spondyloarthropathies: insights from population studies; Leirisalo-Repo M et al.; Infections and genetics play a role in the development of reactive arthritis . The clinical manifestations and severity of the features depend on the triggering infections and the epidemiologic setting . Reports from hospital-based series show the lowest frequency of reactive arthritis, but often, patients have severe arthritis associated with a high frequency of HLA-B27 . At the population level, reactive arthritis occur in 7 to 15% of the infected subjects . The disease is usually mild, affects small joints, can be polyarticular, often rapidly disappears, and has a low association with HLA-B27 . There also seems to be a change in the spectrum of triggering infections . Reports of Yersinia arthritis are less common, whereas arthritis in association with Campylobacter or Salmonella infections seems to be increasing . The role of early antimicrobial chemotherapy for the prevention of reactive arthritis needs to be studied.

Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants, 2003 May-Jun, 18(3), 383 - 90
Microbiologic and radiographic analysis of ligature-induced peri-implantitis with different dental implant surfaces; Shibli JA et al.; PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to evaluate microbiota and radiographic peri-implant bone loss associated with ligature-induced peri-implantitis . MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six dental implants with 4 different surfaces (9 commercially pure titanium, 9 titanium plasma-sprayed, 9 hydroxyapatite, and 9 acid-etched) were placed in the edentulous mandibles of 6 dogs . After 3 months with optimal plaque control, abutment connection was performed . On days 0, 20, 40, and 60 after placement of cotton ligatures, both microbiologic samples and periapical radiographs were obtained . The presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia/nigrescens, Campylobacter spp, Capnocytophaga spp, Fusobacterium spp, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, and Candida spp were evaluated culturally . RESULTS: P intermedia/nigrescens was detected in 13.89% of implants at baseline and 100% of implants at other periods . P gingivalis was not detected at baseline, but after 20 and 40 days it was detected in 33.34% of implants and at 60 days it was detected in 29.03% of dental implants . Fusobacterium spp was detected in all periods . Streptococci were detected in 16.67% of implants at baseline and in 83.34%, 72.22%, and 77.42% of implants at 20, 40, and 60 days, respectively . Campylobacter spp and Candida spp were detected in low proportions . The total viable count analysis showed no significant differences among surfaces (P = .831), although a significant difference was observed after ligature placement (P < .0014) . However, there was no significant qualitative difference, in spite of the difference among the periods . The peri-implant bone loss was not significantly different between all the dental implant surfaces (P = .908) . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that with ligature-induced peri-implantitis, both time and periodontal pathogens affect all surfaces equally after 60 days.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2003 Jun 24, 100(13), 7901 - 6 Epub 2003 Jun 16.
The complete genome sequence of the carcinogenic bacterium Helicobacter hepaticus; Suerbaum S et al.; Helicobacter hepaticus causes chronic hepatitis and liver cancer in mice . It is the prototype enterohepatic Helicobacter species and a close relative of Helicobacter pylori, also a recognized carcinogen . Here we report the complete genome sequence of H . hepaticus ATCC51449 . H . hepaticus has a circular chromosome of 1,799,146 base pairs, predicted to encode 1,875 proteins . A total of 938, 953, and 821 proteins have orthologs in H . pylori, Campylobacter jejuni, and both pathogens, respectively . H . hepaticus lacks orthologs of most known H . pylori virulence factors, including adhesins, the VacA cytotoxin, and almost all cag pathogenicity island proteins, but has orthologs of the C . jejuni adhesin PEB1 and the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) . The genome contains a 71-kb genomic island (HHGI1) and several genomic islets whose G+C content differs from the rest of the genome . HHGI1 encodes three basic components of a type IV secretion system and other virulence protein homologs, suggesting a role of HHGI1 in pathogenicity . The genomic variability of H . hepaticus was assessed by comparing the genomes of 12 H . hepaticus strains with the sequenced genome by microarray hybridization . Although five strains, including all those known to have caused liver disease, were indistinguishable from ATCC51449, other strains lacked between 85 and 229 genes, including large parts of HHGI1, demonstrating extensive variation of genome content within the species.

Commun Dis Intell, 2003, 27 Suppl, S80 - 8
Antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter jejuni isolated from humans in the Hunter Region, New South Wales; Sharma H et al.; Campylobacter is a common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in Australia . Antibiotic resistance among Campylobacter is an emerging problem in Europe and the United States of America . Monitoring may detect emerging resistance . Since there is no epidemiologically validated subtyping system for Campylobacter, antimicrobial resistance patterns may prove useful as an epidemiological marker . Campylobacter isolates from residents of the Hunter region were differentiated by PCR into two categories: C . jejuni and non-C . jejuni . Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for 10 antibiotics using the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) agar dilution methodology . Risk factor information including travel history were obtained as part of a case-control study by conducting telephone interviews with infected individuals . Sixty-four per cent, 3.4 per cent, 3.4 per cent and 11.2 per cent of C . jejuni isolates were resistant to ampicillin (at MIC > 8 mg/L), erythromycin (> 8 mg/L), nalidixic acid (> 32 mg/L) and tetracycline (> 8 mg/L), respectively . A diverse pattern of antibiotic resistance ('resistotypes') was detected with some change occurring over time . Several possible clusters of Campylobacter infections were identified based on resistotype . Of seven infections acquired during overseas travel, 57 per cent (4/7) were resistant to more than one antibiotic class compared to 10 per cent (14/144) of locally-acquired isolates (p=0.004, Fisher exact) . The potential usefulness of resistotyping as an epidemiological marker is worthy of further exploration.

ScientificWorldJournal, 2001 Jul 06, 1, 264 - 8
Helicobacter pylori infection in persons with intellectual disability in residential care in Israel; Merrick J et al.; Helicobacter pylori (formerly Campylobacter pylori ) was identified in 1982 by researchers from Australia as a pathogenic factor in peptic ulcer disease . Due to the few studies on H . pylori infection conducted in the population of persons with intellectual disability it was decided to conduct a clinical study in Israel . The purpose of the study was to determine the occurrence of H . pylori infection in persons who presented with severe dyspeptic symptoms and to monitor clinically the effect of treatment . The Division for Mental Retardation in Israel provides service to 6,022 persons in 53 residential care centers and 1 in central Israel was selected for this pilot study . The study has been performed since 1999 and each patient who came to the medical clinic of the institution with severe dyspeptic symptoms was examined clinically and a blood specimen drawn for IgG antibodies to H . pylori (ELISA, Pharmatop Millenia) . In case of positive serology, triple drug treatment (amoxycillin, metronidazole, and pantoprazole or omeprazole) was initiated for 1 week . Since 1999 a total of 43 persons (total population in care was 224) had severe dyspeptic symptoms and 42 persons (98%, 26 males, 16 females, mean age 45 years, mean institutionalization 20 years) had Helicobacter infection . All patients were treated for 1 week, but six patients received an extra month of omeprazole due to persistent symptoms . At follow-up, clinically all patients had improvement and only seven still had minor complaints (83% treatment success) . Persons with developmental disability, intellectual disability, or mental retardation in residential care presenting with severe dyspeptic symptoms had a high incidence of H . pylori infection . Therefore, we recommend serology or urea breath investigations in this population presenting with dyspeptic symptoms and triple drug treatment for 1 week in case of positive findings.

ScientificWorldJournal, 2001 May 01, 1, 190 - 1
A bacterial toxin that causes DNA damage to modulate cellular responses; Lara-Tejero M; Campylobacter jejuni constitutes the leading cause of bacterial diarrhea in the U.S . and all around the world . This common bacterium produces a toxin known as cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) which causes intoxicated cells to enlarge and to stop dividing with a double DNA content characteristic of G2/M arrest . The effect of the toxin on the cell is so striking that it captivated scientists for a long time . However, its mechanism of action had remained elusive.

Res Vet Sci, 2003 Aug, 75(1), 43 - 53
Hypertrophy of intestinal smooth muscle in cats; Bettini G et al.; Pathological findings of four cats with severe and diffuse smooth muscle hypertrophy of the small intestine (MHSI) are reported and compared to those of five cats with segmental MHSI secondary to neoplastic obstruction and four controls . Histology demonstrated a constant association between idiopathic MHSI and submucosal fibrosis and chronic lymphoplasmacytic enteritis . Morphometry (gut diameter, thickness and area of muscular layers, number and density of smooth muscle nuclei) and MIB-1-immunolabelling showed that the thickness increase was mostly due to hypertrophy, but hyperplasia was also evident . Microbiology from ileal content samples was performed in two cats with primary MHSI, and Campylobacter spp . were isolated, which were also demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructure . The association of chronic enteritis with idiopathic MHSI suggests that factors released in intestinal inflammation may also act as hypertrophy stimuli for smooth muscle cells.

J Food Prot, 2003 Jun, 66(6), 953 - 61
Enteric illness in Ontario, Canada, from 1997 to 2001; Lee MB et al.; Enteric illness is a common problem worldwide . In Ontario (population of 11.4 million, 2001 Census of Canada), laboratory-confirmed cases of "reportable" enteric diseases are reported to local health units . Public health staff members investigate these illnesses and subsequently report details to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through an electronic reporting system . From 1997 to 2001, 44,451 sporadic cases of illness attributable to eight enteric pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella, verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli, Yersinia, Shigella, hepatitis A, Listeria, and Clostridium botulinum) were reported . This number was less than the 56,690 cases reported from 1992 to 1996 . Campylobacter accounted for the highest annual average incidence rate at 42.3 cases per 100,000 persons, with Salmonella following at 22.6, verotoxin-producing E . coli at 3.7, Yersinia at 3.0, Shigella at 2.7, hepatitis A at 2.3, and Listeria at 0.3 . The 4 months from June to September accounted for almost half (46.5%) of all cases . For 74.0% of the outbreaks associated with these eight enteric pathogens, foodborne contamination was identified as the mode of transmission . Poultry and other meat items accounted for 68.4% of the food items when food was identified as the vehicle . Admittedly, the "foods" and "modes of transmission" identified may have been subject to investigator bias based on previous knowledge . The most common risk setting, which was reported in approximately half of the cases, was private homes; travel-associated illness and restaurants were the second and third most frequently reported risk settings at 24.6 and 14.1%, respectively . Findings from this study suggest that public health efforts should be directed toward safe food handling in the home during the summer months.

J Neuroimmunol, 2003 Jun, 139(1-2), 133 - 40
Effects on axonal conduction of anti-ganglioside sera and sera from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome; Dilley A et al.; The efficacy of plasma exchange as a therapy for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) suggests that humoral factors might contribute to the axonal conduction block responsible for the major symptoms of the disease . To explore this possibility, we have applied sera to rat spinal roots in vitro while monitoring axonal conduction . Neither fresh sera from 12 patients with GBS or Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS), nor serum from rabbits immunised with Campylobacter jejuni from patients with GBS, MFS or gastroenteritis were effective in causing acute conduction block, despite the presence of antibodies to gangliosides GD3, GM1, GQ1b and GT1a . Potential explanations are advanced.

FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2003 Jun 6, 223(1), 89 - 93
Induction of an adaptive tolerance response in the foodborne pathogen, Campylobacter jejuni; Murphy C et al.; In this study we aimed to determine if Campylobacter had the ability to induce an adaptive tolerance response (ATR) to acid and/or aerobic conditions . Campylobacter jejuni CI 120 was grown to the appropriate phase in Brucella broth under microaerobic conditions . Cells were initially adapted to a mild stress (pH 5.5) for 5 h prior to challenge at pH 4.5, a lethal pH . Survival was examined by determining the numbers of viable cells on Campylobacter blood free selective agar base . Stationary phase cells adapted at pH 5.5 induced an ATR that enabled a 100-fold greater survival compared to an uninduced culture . Aerobic adaptation also protected the cells against acid challenge . The cross protection provided a 500-fold increase in survival when compared to unadapted cells . The incorporation of chloramphenicol during the induction period eliminated the ATR and resulted in death kinetics similar to an uninduced culture . These data suggest that Campylobacter spp . have the ability to induce an ATR to sublethal treatments, which increased their ability to withstand subsequent stresses.

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