Optimising recovery of Campylobacter spp. from the lower porcine gastrointestinal tract

To determine the incidence of campylobacters in Northern Ireland pigs, ilea l contents and anal swabs were taken shortly after death. Direct streaking onto Preston agar, and modified charcoal cefoperazone desoxycholate agar (m CCDA), were compared, as was enrichment in selective broths prior to streak ing onto the corresponding solid medium. For anal swabs direct plating on m CCDA was most efficient, with 100% of samples positive, whilst for ileal co ntents enrichment in mCCD broth was best with 86% of samples positive. Alth ough only 34% of ileal samples enriched in Preston broths were positive the y yielded three species not isolated from mCCD broth, and hence indicated t hat some pigs were infected by at least two species of Campylobacter. Overa ll, the number of samples found to contain campylobacters, and the range of species isolated, was seen to be markedly affected by both the choice of s elective medium and the isolation procedures. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V . All rights reserved.