Molecular detection of Campylobacter species and Cytolethal distending toxin isolated from chicken livers in Tabriz.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

Campylobacter jejuni and coli are zoonotic bacteria commonly associated With human diarrhea and usually transmit through consumption of meat and poultry contaminated products such as heart and liver. Cytolethal distending toxin (cdt) in Campylobacter spp. is among the significant virulence factors of these bacteria in the intestine. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and presence of cdt genes among isolated bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross sectional study, 100 chicken livers were examined. Detection, bacterial enumeration and isolation of Campylobacter spp. was done using Campylobacter selective agar media containing Campylobacter growth supplement, gram staining, catalase and oxidase production, hippurate hydrolysis and PCR molecular technique. Also the presence of cdt genes were detected using PCR assay.

RESULTS

From 100 studied liver samples, 43 were contaminated with Campylobacter spp. Among them 31(72 %) samples had Campylobacter jejuni and 12 (28 %) had Campylobacter coli. All Campylobacter jejuni isolates contained cdtA ،cdtB and cdtC genes. However, all of these genes detected in 9 (75 %) of isolated coli.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that great percentages of chicken livers in Tabriz were contaminated with Campylobacter.