Biotype and Lior serogroup distribution of enteric Campylobacter isolated from children in Bangui (Central African Republic), and comparison with Penner serotypes.

The new extended biotyping scheme of Lior as well as the slide agglutination technique were applied to 209 strains of enteric Campylobacter isolated from children in Bangui (Central African Republic). Three biotypes of C. jejuni and 2 biotypes of C. coli were identified among the strains; 31.1% were C. jejuni I, 11% C. jejuni II, 2.4% C. jejuni III, 44% C. coli I and 11.5% C. coli II. We were able to serotype 71.3% of the strains with 20 immune sera prepared against strains of Campylobacter isolated previously; 63% of the strains were distributed among the ten most common serogroups. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of biotypes or serogroups between strains from healthy and diarrhoeic children. Comparison of Lior serogroups with Penner serotypes showed that different Penner serotypes may correspond to a Lior serogroup and vice versa.