Detection of Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus in clinical samples of humans and foods of animal origin by cultural and multiplex PCR based methods.

摘要

In recent years, the frequency of isolation and detection of Arcobacter organisms from animals and humans with enteritis and food samples highlights the importance of arcobacters worldwide as emerging foodborne pathogens. Reports are very scanty regarding prevalence of arcobacters from India. Therefore, the present study aimed to know the prevalence of Arcobacter spp. (Arcobacter butzleri and A. cryaerophilus) in humans and foods of animal origin by employing cultural and multiplex PCR (mPCR) methods. A total number of 353 samples were collected from human hospitals, retail meat shops and milk suppliers (human stools (102), chicken meat (151), milk (100)) from in and around Bareilly region, Uttar Pradesh, India. By cultural method, the overall prevalence rate of Arcobacter spp. was found to be 10.20% (36/353) while it was 18.13% (64/353) with mPCR, which revealed mPCR to be a more efficient technique in detecting arcobacters. The highest prevalence rate was observed in chicken meat, followed by human stool and milk samples, with A. butzleri having a higher prevalence. For simultaneous detection and differentiation of arcobacters at the species level, the cultural methods possessed limitations while mPCR gave rapid and confirmatory detection of A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus species. The results of the study add to the epidemiological data available for arcobacters. Extensive epidemiological studies employing the utility of mPCR are suggested for knowing the magnitude of Arcobacter infection in animals, humans and various food sources in the country. This would help in designing appropriate prevention and control strategies for this important pathogen of public health concern.