Campylobacter Detection and Identification

Detection, identification, differentiation and cultivation of Campylobacter

The Campylobacter is one of the leading causes of human gastroenteritis. Common Campylobacter species C. jejuni, C. coli, and C. lari are responsible for most cases of campylobacteriosis.^1,2 However, other species, like C. fetus, which causes spontaneous abortions, have also been associated with human illness.^2–6
Campylobacter are Gram-negative, spiral-shaped, microaerophilic and motile bacteria with uni- or bi-polar flagella (Figures 1, 2 and 3).

Figure 1. Scanning electron microscope image: shows the characteristic spiral, or corkscrew, shape of C. jejuni cells. Photo by De Wood; digital colorization by Chris Pooley, USDA/ARS

Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph of the single polar flagellum and corkscrew shape of C. jejuni. These morphologic characteristics contribute to the characteristic darting motility of C. jejuni in the viscous mucous layer of the intestinal lumen. Sean F. Altekruse National Cancer Institute, Rockville.

Figure 3. Electron microscope image of Campylobacters by Jochen Reetz, Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR), Germany

The size of a cell is roughly 0.2–0.8 x 0.5–5 µm and, in culture, they can undergo morphological change from spiral to spherical. Most species are catalase- and oxidase-positive,⁷ with the exception of the catalase-negative C. sputorum, C. concisus, C. mucosalis and C. helveticus. The metabolism of Campylobacter is chemoorganotrophic, with amino acids and intermediates of the citric acid cycle serving as energy sources; typical carbohydrates cannot be used. Campylobacter reduce nitrate to nitrite, obtaining oxygen for their metabolism by this pathway. These distinctive metabolic reactions can be used for the differentiation and identification of Campylobacter species (Table 1). Commercially available tests are listed in Tables 2 and 3.

Table 1. Table of differentiating characteristics of Campylobacter species and subspecies

Table 2. Tests for identification and differentiation of Campylobacter

Campylobacter test	Product No.
Catalase Test	88597
Hippurate Disks	40405
Hydrogen Sulfide Test Strips	06728
Indoxyl Strips	04739
Nitrate Reagent A	38497
Nitrate Reagent B	39441
Nitrate Reagent Disks	08086
Oxidase Test	70439
Oxidase Strips	40560
Oxidase Reagent acc. Gaby-Hadley A	07345
Oxidase Reagent acc. Gaby-Hadley B	07817
Oxidase Reagent acc. Gordon-McLeod	18502

Table 3. Gram staining kits and single solutions

Gram stain	Product No.
Gram staining kit	77730
Gram‘s crystal violet solution	94448
Gram‘s decolorizer solution	75482
Gram’s fuchsin solution	87794
Gram‘s iodine solution	90107
Gram‘s safranin solution	94635

Campylobacter are generally fastidious microorganisms and grow only on complex media that have been amended with diverse essential amino acids and supplements, such as pyruvate, a-ketoglutarate, hemin, formate and other essential ions. For selective isolation of Campylobacter, the growth media can be supplemented with antibiotics like cefoperazone, vancomycin, trimethoprim, amphotericin, cycloheximide, rifampicin, cefsulodin and polymyxin B sulfate. We offer a broad range of specific agars and broths for the detection, identification, differentiation, enumeration and cultivation of Campylobacter (Table 4).

Table 4. Media for Campylobacter (detection, differentiation, and identification )

Nonselective media	Product No.
Tryptic Soy Broth, Vegitone	41298
Columbia Agar	27688
Tryptic Soy Agar, Vegitone	14432
Tryptic Soy Broth	22092
CASO Agar	22095
Tryptic Soy Broth No. 2	51228
Tryptic Soy Agar	22091
Tryptic Soy Agar Plates (Diameter 55 mm)	57994
CASO Broth	22098
Nonselective nedia with differential system
Blood Agar Base No. 2
Hippurate Broth	53275
OF Test Nutrient Agar	75315
Selective media with differential system
MacConkey Agar No. 1
Campylobacter selective media
Bolton Broth Base
Karmali Campylobacter Agar (Base)	17152
Brucella Broth Base	B3051
Campylobacter Selective Agar (Base)	21378
Park and Sanders Enrichment Broth (Base)	17189
Blood-free Campylobacter Selective Agar Base	B2426

More details about our products for analytical microbiology.

Table 5. Scientific classification of Campylobacter

Kingdom:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Proteobacteria
Class:	Epsilon Proteobacteria
Order:	Campylobacterales
Family:	Campylobacteraceae
Genus:	Campylobacter

References

1. Campylobacter jejuni Current Status and Future Trends. Nachamkin, I., Blaser, M. J., Tompkins, L. S., eds., American Society for Microbiology: Washington, DC (1992).

2. Tauxe, R. V., Hargrett-Bean, N., Patton, C. M., Wachsmuth, I. K., Campylobacter isolates in the United States, 1982 – 86. Morbid. Mortal. Weekly Rep. (1988), 37, 1–13.

3. Butzler, J. P., Campylobacter Infection in Man and Animals. CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL (1984)..

4. Linton D, Owen R, Stanley J. 1996. Rapid identification by PCR of the genus Campylobacter and of five Campylobacter species enteropathogenic for man and animals. Research in Microbiology. 147(9):707-718. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0923-2508(97)85118-2

5. Patton CM, Shaffer N, Edmonds P, Barrett TJ, Lambert MA, Baker C, Perlman DM, Brenner DJ. 1989. Human disease associated with "Campylobacter upsaliensis" (catalase-negative or weakly positive Campylobacter species) in the United States.. 27(1):66-73. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.27.1.66-73.1989

6. Tee W, Anderson BN, Ross BC, Dwyer B. 1987. Atypical campylobacters associated with gastroenteritis.. 25(7):1248-1252. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.25.7.1248-1252.1987

7. Ryan, K. J. and Ray C. G., Eds., Sherris Medical Microbiology, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill: New York, NY (2004), 378 – 80.