Detection and differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broiler chicken samples using a PCR/DNA probe membrane based colorimetric detection assay

Campylobacter enteritis in humans has been linked to consumption of poultry meat. Surveys show that 30-100% of poultry harbour Campylobacter as normal flora of the digestive tract which indicates a need to identify prevalent organism types in flocks and trace their epidemiology. In this study we des cribe a Campylobacter genus specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, amplifying the 16 S-23 S rRNA intergenic spacer region with an internal Ca mpylobacter genus specific DNA probe and species specific probes for Campyl obacter jejuni and Campylobacter coil designed for confirmation of the ampl ified PCR products by Southern blot and colorimetric reverse hybridization assays. The specificity of this assay was established by testing a range of food pathogens. Broiler chicken samples were tested following presumptive positive identification by the Malthus System V analyser (Malthus Instrumen ts, UK). The combined PCR and colorimetric reverse hybridization assay is e asy to perform and faster than conventional methods for confirmation and id entification of Campylobacter species. (C) 2000 Academic Press.