HOME CURRENT ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS ARCHIVE SEARCH SUBSCRIPTIONS JOBS FEEDBACK HELP		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Acke, E. Articles by Whyte, P. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Acke, E. Articles by Whyte, P.

Genetic diversity among Campylobacter jejuni isolates from pets in Ireland

¹ School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
² Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand

Correspondence: E-mail for correspondence: e.acke{at}massey.ac.nz

Campylobacter jejuni isolates obtained from pets housed in shelters and in private households were subtyped by fla typing (using DdeI and HinfI restriction enzymes) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) techniques. Composite fla cluster analysis on 78 C jejuni isolates was more discriminative than either single fla typing technique with 39.7 per cent single isolate patterns. PFGE on 52 C jejuni isolates revealed 53.8 per cent single isolate patterns and was the most discriminative method applied. A database of C jejuni subtyping profiles from pets in Ireland was assembled. The presence of genetic heterogeneity detected in the C jejuni subtypes suggests that pets can acquire the organisms from multiple potential sources. In addition, heterogeneity was detected in the C jejuni subtypes obtained by different culture methods within the same pet. There was a link between isolates from dogs in close contact in the same environment, confirming that this is a potential route of infection, and clusters were detected containing both cat and dog C jejuni isolates, suggesting possible interspecies transmission.