Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Research article2004Peer reviewed

Genetic and epidemiological relationships among Campylobacter isolates from humans

Hook H, Ekegren MB, Ericsson H, Vagsholm I, Danielsson-Tham ML

Abstract

84 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from Swedish patients with domestic infection were characterized with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and the subtype information considered in relation to epidemiological data. Based on pattern combinations from restriction cleavage with SmaI and SalI, 52 different PFGE types were identified. Types with an average pattern similarity of at least 82% and 63% were assembled in groups and clusters, respectively. The 2 largest clusters included 71% of the isolates. The distribution in time varied between different groups and clusters, where some were isolated sporadically during the whole period and others appeared more concentrated in time. Types in 1 cluster were significantly more often isolated in summer than other types in the study. Isolates from children showed lower pattern similarity to other isolates than isolates from adults. Sets of type and time related cases, possibly representing small outbreaks, were identified when indistinguishable PFGE patterns were found in isolates from temporally related cases. Our results indicate that although a large number of genotypes may be found among C. jejuni strains infecting humans, a large proportion of these may be genetically related, and that different genotypes may appear during different seasons and infect individuals of different ages

Keywords

pulsed-field gel electrophoresis; Campylobacter jejuni; infection; outbreak; identification

Published in

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
2004, Volume: 36, number: 6-7, pages: 435-442 Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS

      SLU Authors

        • UKÄ Subject classification

        Food Science

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00365540410020820

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/2893