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Molecular Detection of Campylobacter spp. in California Gull (Larus californicus) Excreta
Citation:
LU, J., H. RYU, J. W. SANTO-DOMINGO, J. F. Griffith, AND N. ASHBOLT. Molecular Detection of Campylobacter spp. in California Gull (Larus californicus) Excreta. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC, 77(14):5034-5039, (2011).
Impact/Purpose:
The primary objective of the biofilm Legionella study is to determine if there is any correlation between the ability of Legionella isolates to invade and replicate within amoebal hosts and their in vivo virulence utilizing a murine model of acute bacterial pneumonia (6-8 week old A/j mice). If such a correlation is demonstrated, then a second objective will be development of an assay for the rapid identification of potentially pathogenic environmental isolates of Legionella (and latter, other intracellular bacterial pathogens) via co-culturing with an “indicator” amoebal host rather than infecting mice. Subsequent research will then focus on better understanding the stability and ecology of Legionella spp. in biofilms and the effect(s) of key stressors to select for virulent biotypes.
Description:
We examined the prevalence, quantity, and diversity of Campylobacter species in the excreta of 159 California gull samples using PCR and qPCR based detection assays. While Campylobacter prevalence and abundance was relatively high in the gull excreta examined, molecular data indicated that most gull campylobacters were unique and not closely related to strains commonly associated with human infection. Campylobacter quantities were positively related with those of fecal indicators, including the gull marker Catellicoccus marimmamalium.