Antigenic changes in Campylobacter spp. after adaptation to media with increased sodium chloride concentrations

Campylobacter strains which were adapted to growth at 3% NaCl in the medium were examined for antigenic changes. The results of the immunodot blot, the immunoprecipitation test and the immunoblot demonstrate changes in the antigenic pattern. Heat-labile and heat stable antigens of the obtained salt-tolerants variants of Campylobacter type-strains showed differences from their parental strains after cross-absorption of antisera. Differences of the antigens between salt-tolerant variants and their salt-sensitive parental strains suggest that the antigenic structure of the flagellum and possibly of outer membrane proteins has been changed by adaptation of strains to higher salt concentrations.