Isolation of Arcobacter spp. from a brackish environment

Arcobacter spp. were isolated from water and mussels of two brackish lakes near Messina (Italy). The isolates were phenotypically characterized on the basis of a large battery of cultural and biochemical tests. By comparison with the reference strains Arcobacter butzleri ATCC 49616 and A. cryaerophi lus ATCC 43157 they may be considered Arcobacter butzleri-like bacteria. Th e current isolation suggests that the brackish environment may play an impo rtant role in the survival and transmission of Arcobacter spp. also by seaf ood cultured in the examined waters.