Distribution of serotypes and biotypes of thermophilic campylobacters in the Federal Republic of Germany: a comparison with other countries.

Thermophilic Campylobacter isolates from infected humans from the southwest of the FRG were bio- and serotyped according to Lior's scheme. Serotyping was performed with a commercially available test kit (Sopar, Brussels). C. jejuni represented about 87% of the isolates with Biotype I representing about 50% of the isolates. C. coli was found in 12% of the isolates and C. laridis in less than 1%. The most frequently identified serotypes were LIO 8, LIO 7 and LIO 4. The results are compared with investigations from seven other countries and with one investigation from northern Germany.