Differentiation of Campylobacter and Campylobacter-like organisms by cellular fatty acid composition

Abstract

The cellular fatty acid compositions of 368 strains of Campylobacter species or Campylobacter-like organisms were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Most of the strains (339) were placed in one of three groups based on differences in fatty acid profiles. Group A contained Campylobacter jejuni (97%) and most C. coli (83%) strains and was characterized by the presence of a 19-carbon cyclopropane fatty acid (19:0 cyc) and 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid (3-OH-14:0). Group B included all C. laridis and some C. coli (17%) strains; its profile was similar to that of group A, except that 19:0 cyc was absent. Group C contained C. fetus subsp. fetus and C. fetus subsp. venerealis and was characterized by the presence of 3-OH-14:0 and 3-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid (3-OH-16:0) and the absence of 19:0 cyc. Twenty-nine isolates were placed in four additional groups. Group D included the type strain of "C. cinaedi" and 14 other isolates, which were differentiated by the presence of dodecanoic acid (12:0), 3-hydroxydodecanoic acid (3-OH-12:0), and 3-OH-16:0 and the absence of hexadecenoic acid (16:1) and 3-OH-14:0. Group E contained the type strain of "C. fennelliae" and two additional isolates, which were differentiated by the presence of a 16-carbon aldehyde and a 16-carbon dimethylacetyl and the absence of 16:1. Group F included the type strain and one reference strain of C. cryaerophila and six human isolates whose phenotypic characteristics were similar to those of this species; this group was distinguished by the presence of two isomers of 16:1, tetradecenoic acid (14:1), and 3-OH-14:0. Group G included three strains of C. pyloridis and was characterized by the presence of 19:0 cyc, 3-OH-16:0, and 3-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (3-OH-18:0) and by the absence of 16:1 and 3-OH-14:0.

Routine identification of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from human stool samples

“…Its e¡ectiveness and reliability have been repeatedly demonstrated also for Campylobacter spp. [7,18]. In the present study 135 isolates were designated C. jejuni by GLC, 132 of them correctly, including four hippurate-negative C. jejuni strains.…”

“…Using the GLC technique, 13 isolates were determined as C. coli, 12 of them correctly. Therefore, according to previous studies [7] GLC proved to be valid for identi¢cation of the most common Campylobacter spp. Advantages of the method are that GLC patterns are produced in every case, which may lead to the identi¢cation of Campylobacter-like isolates also in the case of an unexpected species, e.g.…”

“…from human samples is required for epidemiological purposes. The integration of PCR methods in routine protocols of diagnostic laboratories as well as the availability of advanced phenotypic tests like the analysis of cellular fatty acid pro¢les [7] or pyrolysis mass spectrometry [8] therefore are promising attempts. This study was performed to develop a rapid, easy to perform, and reliable protocol for the correct identi¢cation of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates from human stool samples.…”

Discrimination of Helicobacter pullorum and Campylobacter lari by analysis of whole cell fatty acid extracts

“…It was also successfully used for di¡erentiation of Campylobacter sp. [5]. The presence of cholesteryl glucoside (CG), on the other hand, has been described as characteristic feature of Helicobacter sp.…”

Differentiation of Clinical Helicobacter pullorum Isolates from Related Helicobacter and Campylobacter Species

“…Cellular fatty acid composition has proved effective in identification schemes developed for Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. [8,22,23]; however, limiting factors of fatty acid analysis for the identification of these organisms are evident and have been reported by others [22,23]. Preparative and analytical differences between laboratories and standardization problems contribute to these limitations.…”