Efficacy of filter types for detecting Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in environmental water samples by polymerase chain reaction.

A previously developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a target region in the flaA Campylobacter flagellin gene was evaluated and adapted for use with environmental water samples. The ability to detect Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli in seeded water samples was tested with various filters after concentration and freeze-thaw lysis of the bacterial cells. A nonradioactive probe for the amplified flagellin gene fragment detected as little as 1 to 10 fg of genomic DNA and as few as 10 to 100 viable C. jejuni cells per 100 ml of water filtered onto Fluoropore (Millipore Corp.) filters. No amplification was obtained with cellulose acetate filters, most likely because of binding of the DNA to the filter. Concentration and lysis of target cells on Fluoropore and Durapore (Millipore Corp.) filters allowed PCR to be performed in the same reaction tube without removing the filters. This methodology was then adapted for use with environmental water samples. The water supply to a broiler chicken production farm was suspected as the source of C. jejuni known to be endemic in grow-out flocks at the farm, despite the inability to culture the organisms by standard methods. The filtration-PCR method detected Campylobacter DNA in more than half of the farm water samples examined. Amplified campylobacter DNA was not detected in small volumes of regional surface water samples collected on a single occasion in February. The filtration-PCR amplification method provided a basis for detection of C. jejuni and C. coli in environmental waters with a high degree of specificity and sensitivity.