Overview of methodologies for the culturing, recovery and detection of Campylobacter

Campylobacter species are responsible for human gastroenteritis with diverse clinical spectra, ranging from acute watery or bloody diarrhea to life-threatening autoimmune disorders. Given the importance of Campylobacter in causing human illness, this article has reviewed the transmission and attribution sources as well as methodologies for the detection and virulence characterization of campylobacteria. The recovery and detection of Campylobacter from clinical, food and environmental samples has been achieved by the combinatorial use of selective enrichment and culturing methods. Biochemical, immunological, and nucleic acid-based methodologies have enabled the detection and differentiation of closely related Campylobacter isolates in foodborne outbreak investigations and have assessed the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of these bacterial pathogens. Analyses of motility, adherence, and invasiveness in host cells have assessed the pathogenic potential of campylobacteria. Further examination of determinants conferring antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter have supported the growing need to closely monitor antimicrobials use in clinical and agricultural sectors.