ISOLATION OF CAMPYLOBACTER-JEJUNI FROM GROUNDWATER

A pollution event which occurred at a spring in the Arnside area of Cu mbria provided an opportunity to investigate whether Campylobacter jej uni could be detected in groundwater. Hydrological evidence suggested that the source of contamination was a dairy farm situated within the hydrological catchment of the polluted spring. The microbiological qua lity of the polluted spring was monitored during intervals over the fo llowing 12 months and compared with others in the area. Campylobacter Jejuni was isolated by filter enrichment of 500 mi and 100 mi filtered volumes of groundwater. It was not isolated in the absence of faecal indicator species. Some strains of Camp. jejuni from water had identic al biotypes to strains isolated from the dairy herd. This paper report s the first isolation of Camp. jejuni from groundwater using cultural methods and supports the theory that groundwater may be a vehicle for Campylobacter transmission.