Identification of Campylobacter coli isolates from animals and humans by bacterial restriction endonuclease DNA analysis.

Ninety-nine Campylobacter coli isolates were examined by bacterial restriction endonuclease DNA analysis (BRENDA) with HindIII. Isolates from poultry from the same environment had identical patterns, patterns of isolates carried by suckling piglets were generally the same as those of isolates recovered from their dams, and one human patient yielded the same BRENDA type when sampled 6 weeks later. The 14 human isolates examined produced 11 distinct BRENDA types. Forty-three C. coli isolates from pigs were represented by 20 BRENDA types. Ten C. coli isolates from the feces of gulls yielded five different BRENDA types. Thirty-two C. coli isolates from live chickens and processed chicken yielded five different BRENDA types. Three human isolates had identical DNA patterns; two were from brothers living in the same house, and the third was from a human with no apparent relationship to the brothers. Another human isolate was identical to a poultry isolate. None of the pig strains had DNA patterns resembling those of human strains, nor were the DNA patterns like those of any strains recovered from poultry or gulls. Four C. coli isolates were subcultured onto agar 23 times over a period of 45 days, and their BRENDA patterns were preserved. BRENDA shows great promise for use in epidemiological studies of C. coli.