Detection and quantification of 14 Campylobacter species in pet dogs reveals an increase in species richness in feces of diarrheic animals

Abstract

BackgroundThe genus Campylobacter includes many species, some of which are known human and animal pathogens. Even though studies have repeatedly identified domestic dogs as a risk factor for human campylobacteriosis, our understanding of Campylobacter ecology in this reservoir is limited. Work to date has focused primarily on a limited number of species using culture-based methods. To expand our understanding of Campylobacter ecology in dogs, a collection of fecal samples from 70 healthy and 65 diarrheic pet dogs were examined for the presence and levels of 14 Campylobacter species using quantitative PCR.ResultsIt was found that 58% of healthy dogs and 97% of diarrheic dogs shed detectable levels of Campylobacter spp., with C. coli, C. concisus, C. fetus, C. gracilis, C. helveticus, C. jejuni, C. lari, C. mucosalis, C. showae, C. sputorum and C. upsaliensis levels significantly higher in the diarrheic population. Levels of individual Campylobacter species detected ranged from 103 to 108 organisms per gram of feces. In addition, many individual samples contained multiple species of Campylobacter, with healthy dogs carrying from 0-7 detectable species while diarrheic dogs carried from 0-12 detectable species.ConclusionsThese findings represent the largest number of Campylobacter species specifically tested for in animals and is the first report to determine quantifiable levels of Campylobacter being shed from dogs. This study demonstrates that domestic dogs can carry a wide range of Campylobacter species naturally and that there is a notable increase in species richness detectable in the diarrheic population. With several of the detected Campylobacter species known or emerging pathogens, these results are relevant to both ecological and public health discussions.

Prevalence of most common human pathogenic Campylobacter spp. in dogs and cats in Styria, Austria

“…Chaban et al . (2010) found 7% C. jejuni ‐positive samples in healthy and 46% positives in diarrhoeic dogs.…”

Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli species in cats and dogs from Bydgoszcz (Poland) region

“…The frequency of isolation of Campylobacter spp. in dogs varied from 17% (Brazil, Argentina) to 76.2% (Denmark), while in cats isolation values ranged from 8% in Brazil to 47.8% in Germany (Moser et al 2001, Aquino et al 2002, Lopez et al 2002, Sandberg et al 2002, Engvall et al 2003, Hald et al 2004, Wieland et al 2005, Workman et al 2005, Acke et al 2009, Chaban et al 2010, Parsons et al 2010, Salihu et al 2010. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp.…”

“…Campylobacter is a leading bacterial cause of food-borne diarrheal illness worldwide (Chaban et al 2010, Zhao et al 2010). In the EU campylobacteriosis is the most commonly reported zoonosis followed by salmonellosis and yersiniosis (EFSA 2010).…”

Impact of Rurality, Broiler Operations, and Community Socioeconomic Factors on the Risk of Campylobacteriosis in Maryland

“…Eating in restaurants 9 , not observing proper food preparation practices 10 and traveling abroad 9;11 , have also been associated with both outbreaks and sporadic (non-outbreak) cases of campylobacteriosis. Additional risk factors for sporadic infections include contact with pets 5;12 , contact with farm animals and livestock 13;14 , and contact with animal feces 15 .…”