Biochemical characteristics, serogroup distribution, antibiotic susceptibility and age-related significance of Campylobacter strains causing diarrhoea in humans in Hungary.

During August and September 1995, 111 thermopilic campylobacters from stool samples of patients suffering from diarrhoea were cultured and f1amined. Biochemical characteristics, serological distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of the strains were examined and the age distribution of the patients affected was recorded. Most of the strains, i.e. 101 isolates (91%) proved to be Campylobacter (C.) jejuni, whereas 10 strains (9%) were C. coli. On the basis of their heat-stable antigens, 66 strains (65.3%) of C. jejuni could be assigned to 17 serogroups, of which serogroups 2 (15 strains, 14.8%) and 8 (10 strains, 9.9%) occurred most frequently. All isolates examined were susceptible to erythromycin whereas susceptibility to other antibiotics varied greatly. Children under five years of age (59 cases = 53.1%) were most frequently affected. During 1995, altogether 11,976 human Campylobacter cases were recorded in Hungary which means a prevalence of 114/100,000. The results suggest that the great majority of cases of Campylobacter diarrhoea is caused by C. jejuni strains while C. coli strains have much less significance. The serotype distribution of C. jejuni strains causing diarrhoea is very wide. If treatment is needed the best choice at present seems to be erythromycin.