Characterization of Campylobacter strains isolated in Bangladesh from different sources

Campylobacters have been isolated in Bangladesh from patients with gastroenteritis, from healthy individuals and animals. A total of 180 Campylobacter isolates, 100 from patients with gastroenteritis reporting to International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh hospitals, 50 from asymptomatic carriers and the other 30 from domestic animals of the index cases have been characterized following standard procedures available. All isolates tested have been confirmed as Campylobacter jejuni. Irrespective of their source of isolation, Campylobacter isolates showed identical biochemical behaviours. All isolates showed thermophilic characteristics of jejuni/coli group. None of the isolates grew at 25 degrees C. Uniform sensitivity to nalidixic acid, metronidazole, 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, resistance to cephalothin was observed; H2S production in all isolates by different methods was confirmed. All isolates from different sources confirmed to be C. jejuni; none of the isolates, even from the animal source could be characterized as C. coli.