Isolation of thermophilic campylobacters from two populations of dogs

Faecal samples were collected from newly impounded stray dogs and from dogs presented to a clinic by their owners. The dogs were categorised as strays or pets and their faeces as formed or unformed. The faeces were examined bacteriologically. Campylobacters were significantly (P less than 0.01) more frequently isolated from the faeces of the stray dogs but there was no significant difference between the frequency of isolation of the organism from formed or unformed faeces. The significance of this finding in relation to public health and animal health is noted.