Arcobacter species have been recognized as potential food- and waterborne pathogens. The lack of standardized isolation methods and the relatively scarce knowledge about their prevalence and distribution as emerging pathogens are due to the limitations in their detection and identification. This study aimed to determine the presence and the identification of Arcobacter in chicken breast samples commercially retailed in San José, Costa Rica, as well as to describe the adherence and invasive potential of the strains to human cells (HEp-2). Fifty chicken breast samples were collected from retail markets in the metropolitan area of the country. Six different isolation methodologies were applied for the isolation of Arcobacter. Isolation strategies consisted of combinations of enrichments in de Boer or Houf selective broths and subsequent isolation in blood agar (directly or with a previous passive membrane filtration step) or Arcobacter selective agar. Suspicious colonies were identified with a genus-specific PCR, whereas species-level identification was achieved with a multiplex PCR. The overall isolation frequency of Arcobacter was 56%. From the isolation strategies, the combination of enrichment in Houf selective broth followed by filtration on blood agar showed the best performance, with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 84%. A total of 46 isolates were confirmed as Arcobacter with the genus-specific PCR, from which 27 (59%) corresponded to Arcobacter butzleri, 9 (19%) to Arcobacter cryaerophilus, and 10 (22%) were not identified with this multiplex PCR. Regarding the potential pathogenicity, 75% of the isolates presented adherence to HEp-2 cells, while only 22% were invasive to that cell line. All invasive strains were A. butzleri or nonidentified strains. The results show the presence of potentially pathogenic Arcobacter in poultry and recognize the importance it should receive as a potential foodborne pathogen from public health authorities.

Arcobacter is a genus of growing importance worldwide; some of its species are considered emerging enteropathogens and potential zoonotic agents. In Costa Rica, as well as in other countries, its isolation has been reported, so the objective of this project was to evaluate and identify the presence of Arcobacter in chicken viscera sold in the metropolitan area of San José, Costa Rica, as well as to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns associated with it. One hundred fifty samples of chicken viscera including heart, liver, and other gastrointestinal organs were purchased from 15 supermarkets and 15 local retailers. De Boer and Houf broths were used as enrichment media; isolation was done with Arcobacter-selective medium and with membrane filtration with blood agar. Typical colonies were identified with genus-specific PCR, and species identification was made with multiplex PCR. Susceptibility to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, and tetracycline was done with the Epsilometer test. The isolation frequency of Arcobacter genus obtained in this study was of 17.3%. A total of 33 isolates were obtained from the poultry samples, and according to the multiplex PCR methodology, 22 (66.7%) isolates were identified as Arcobacter butzleri, 8 (24.2%) as Arcobacter cryaerophilus, and 1 (3.1%) as Arcobacter skirrowii. Two strains were not identified. No statistical significant difference was found when the source of samples was compared. Resistance toward chloramphenicol was 68.75%, followed by ampicillin (43.75%) and ciprofloxacin (18.75%); all strains were susceptible to tetracycline.

In recent years, emerging pathogens have received special attention due to their consequences for public health. Given that Arcobacter has been isolated in Costa Rica from commercial meat poultry samples, the aim of this research was to determine its isolation frequency from laying hens, broilers, ducks, and geese and to compare two types of samples, namely, cloacal swabs and stool collection. Arcobacter was isolated from 22 (11%) of the 200 samples examined. Fifteen (55%), eight (30%), and four (15%) of the isolated strains were identified as A. butzleri, A. cryareophilus, and Arcobacter spp., respectively. Also, there is a statistically significant difference among the isolation frequencies of Arcobacter for the types of samples evaluated, yielding more isolates from stool samples than from cloacal swab collection. This work describes the distribution of Arcobacter in farm animals as potential sources for its spread from animal-derived products.

Arcobacter represents a zoonotic emerging pathogen with increasing importance for public health and drinking water has been cited as a major risk factor for its dissemination. The aim of this work was to evaluate the survival capacity of Arcobacter in different water matrixes stored at different temperatures. Three different water matrixes were used, including potable water with a chlorine concentration of 0,5 mg/mL, non-chlorinated water and non-chlorinated water added with an 11% of organic matter. Each matrix was inoculated in a 1/10 proportion with 103 and 105 Arcobacter pools, divided into 4 different subsamples, in order to be incubated at 0°C, 5°C, 12 °C and 25°C by up to 15 days. The presence of Arcobacter in each matrix was determined on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15. Results obtained show that this bacterium can survive in all the water matrixes evaluated, regardless of the presence or not of residual disinfecting agent. Also, the amount of CFU/mL inoculated in water correlates with the number of bacteria that can survive on it, and that incubation temperature has a significant effect over the bacterial survival.