An important agent in gastroenteritis: Campylobacter

Abstract

Campylobacter infections are common in both developed and developing countries. The reported incidence of culture confirmed infections shows variability among countries due to culturing procedures. (1). Here we report laboratory-based surveillance data collected between 2013 and 2015 in Yeditepe University Hospital Microbiology Laboratory. Among 2807 feces cultures, Salmonella spp. (n=135), Campylobacter spp. (n=118), Aeromonas spp. (n=6) and Shigella spp. (n=3), isolates were detected. Out of 118 Campylobacter spp. isolates, the distribution was as follows: C. jejuni (n=101), C. upsaliensis (n=8), C. coli (n=6) and other species (n=3). The fecal samples were cultured in Campylobacter-BAP medium (Salubris, Turkey) and incubated under microaerophilic conditions (CampyGen, Oxoid, UK) at 42°C for 48 hours. Suspected colonies were examined by Gram stain and evaluated for oxidase and catalase positivity; and then were first confirmed by Campylobacter latex agglutination test (Dryspot, Oxoid, UK).