Prevalence and Genetic Diversity ofCampylobacterspp. in Environmental Water Samples from a 100-Square-Kilometer Predominantly Dairy Farming Area

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Abstract
Water samples were taken systematically from a 100-km2area of mainly dairy farmland in northwestern England and examined forCampylobacterspp. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PFGE-RFLP) andflaAstrain typing ofCampylobacter jejuniandCampylobacter coliisolates were done. Data on the water source and the adjacent environment were recorded and examined as explanatory variables.Campylobacterspp. were isolated from 40.5% (n= 119) of the water samples tested.C. jejuniwas isolated from 14.3%,C. coliwas isolated from 18.5%, andCampylobacter lariwas isolated from 4.2% of the samples.Campylobacter hyointestinaliswas not isolated from any water source. The difference in prevalence between water types (trough, running, and standing) was significant (P= 0.001).C. jejuniwas the species most commonly isolated from trough-water and running-water sources, whileC. coliwas the most frequently isolated from standing water (P< 0.001). No association was found between the presence ofEscherichia coliand that ofCampylobacterspp. The final multivariable logistic regression model forCampylobacterspp. included the following variables: water source, soil type, aspect, and amount of cattle fecal material in the environment (fecal pat count). Strain typing demonstrated a diverse population ofC. jejuniand the presence of a commonC. coli flaAtype that was widely distributed throughout the area. Most of the isolates within the commonflaAtype were discriminated by PFGE-RFLP. These findings suggest a possible role for environmental water in the epidemiology ofCampylobacterspp. in a farming environment.