Epidemiological surveillance ofCampylobacter jejuniin chicken, dairy cattle and diarrhoea patients

Abstract

SUMMARYCampylobacter jejuniof different subtypes were identified in chicken, dairy cattle and diarrhoea patients in China from 2005 to 2006, using multiplex PCR and RFLP. The results indicated that, of the three types of samples,C. jejuniwas most frequently detected in poultry of the three types of samples, with an average isolation rate of up to 18·61% and a flock contamination rate of 86·67%. The average incidence ofC.jejuniin overall cattle and environmental samples, milk cows, heifers and diarrhoea patients was 7·77, 5·02, 8·70 and 4·84%, respectively. A higher prevalence was detected in outpatients than ward patients (P<0·01), and in patients aged <7 years than in older patients (P<0·01). The 265 isolates ofC.jejuniwere classified into 20 distinct types by PCR–RFLP analysis of theflaAgene, with the genotype distribution in humans overlapping that in poultry and cattle. This suggests that certainC. jejunistrains circulate between humans and domestic animals such as cattle and poultry.