BIOTYPING OF CAMPYLOBACTER-JEJUNI AND CAMPYLOBACTER-COLI INFECTIONS IN SPAIN

Biochemical profiles were studied in 102 Campylobacter isolates from p atients affected by enteric disease in Orense (Spain) over a 1-year pe riod. The isolates were identified as hippurate-positive Campylobacter jejuni (n = 90), Campylobacter coli (n = 10) and hippurate-negative C . jejuni (n = 2). Seventy-seven of the hippurate-positive and both hip purate-negative C. jejuni isolates were biotyped as C. jejuni subsp. j ejuni biotype 1, nine as C. jejuni subsp. jejuni biotype 2 and four as C. jejuni subsp. doylei. Hippurate-hydrolysis was correlated to a sim ple scheme based on L-arginine arylamidase production, propionate assi milation and malate assimilation which yielded sensitivity and specifi city values of 0.90 and 1.00, respectively. Effective grouping of nali dixic acid-resistant C. jejuni and C. coli isolates (38.5 % of the tot al) was also achieved.