A survey of campylobacter in animals

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Abstract
SUMMARY: A survey ofCampylobacterspecies in the faeces or rectal contents of domestic animals was carried out using direct and enrichment culture methods. Campylobacters were isolated from 259 (31 %) of 846 faecal specimens. The highest isolation rate was found in pigs (66%); lower rates were found in cattle (24%) and sheep (22%). In pigs all the isolates wereC. coli, in sheep and cattle about 75% wereC. jejuni. Only five isolations ofC. fetus suhsip. fetuswere made, all from cattle. More pigs with diarrhoea hadC. coliin their faeces than healthy pigs (77% vs 47 %), but such a clear difference in isolation rate between sick and healthy animals was not seen in cattle or sheep.The enrichment method increased the total isolation rate ofC. jejuniandC. coliby 33%, but for cattle specimens it increased it by 69% (from 6·5% to 21%). However, the enrichment method failed to detect 16% of positive specimens (mainlyC. coli), so direct and enrichment methods should be used for the culture of campylobacters from animal faeces. The results show that cattle, sheep and pigs constitute a large potential source of campylobacter infection for man.