Direct immunofluorescence microscopy for rapid screening of Campylobacter enteritis

Diagnostic use of a direct fluorescent-antibody test for detection of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in human fecal specimens (n = 497) was compared with detection by culturing (specificity, 99.7%; sensitivity, 40%). Conjugates were prepared from immunoglobulin G antibody against 22 Lior C. jejuni and C. coli reference strains (H. Lior, D. L. Woodward, J. A. Edgar, L. J. Laroche, and P. Gill, J. Clin. Microbiol. 15:761-768, 1982). Interestingly, the serotypes of cultures tested by the direct fluorescent antibody test were different from those of cultures tested by Lior slide agglutination, although the antisera used were common to both test systems.