Serotyping and biotyping of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from sporadic cases and outbreaks in Norway

Abstract

Of 172 thermophilic campylobacters isolated from human cases of gastroenteritis in Norway, 149 (86.6%) were classified as Campylobacter jejuni, whereas 23 isolates (13.4%) belonged to Campylobacter coli. C. jejuni biotype 1 comprised 66.3% and C. jejuni biotype 2 comprised 20.3% of the total number. Using 50 unabsorbed antisera, we were able to serotype 109 (80.1%) of 136 campylobacters on the basis of heat-stable antigens identified by means of passive hemagglutination. The typable strains fell into 36 different serotypes. A large proportion of the strains were isolated from travellers returning from abroad, a state of affairs which may have influenced the serotype and biotype distribution. Two family outbreaks were found to be caused by a bio-serotype common to all diseased members of the particular families. A third family outbreak and an outbreak among employees at a poultry processing plant each involved two distinct strains.