Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni/coli-isolates from human faeces.

Campylobacter jejuni/coli strains were isolated from the faeces of 240 patients suffering from acute enteritis. The following characteristics were investigated: (i) growth at different temperatures, and on different substrates under either microaerophilic conditions or anaerobically, with fumarate or nitrate as terminal electron acceptors; (ii) production of H2S in cysteine-containing broth; (iii) hydrolysis of hippuric acid; (iv) DNase; (v) alkaline phosphatase; (vi) beta-lactamase; (vii) presence of menaquinone; and (viii) reduction of selenite. Based on characteristics (ii)-(v), the strains could be divided in 9 phenotypical groups. Most of the strains represented group 2 (DNase+, H2S+, hippurate hydrolysis+, alk. phosphatase-) (32%), and groups 8 (DNase-, H2S+, hippurate hydrolysis+, alk. phosphatase-) (32%). The other groups were of minor importance. On the other hand, most of the isolates from the United States (Weaver, 1981) fitted well into group 1 (DNase+, H2S+, hippurate hydrolysis+, alk. phosphatase+) which might demonstrate geographical variations among C. jejuni/coli.