Detection of various virulence factors of thermophilic campylobacter species

Thermophilic Campylobacter species are foodborne bacteria causing zoonotic enteritis in human. Chicken meat is known as the most important transmission source of Campylobacter species. Virulence factor known as cytolethal distending toxin (cdt) has an important role in the pathogenesis of these factors. In our study, the presence of Campylobacter species (Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter lari) and cdt genes carried were determined at molecular level on the commercially available 24 pieces of chicken meat in the city Kütahya. Among the 24 collected samples, 11 (45.8%) of them carrying Campylobacter species were characterized by MPCR. When evaluated at the level of species, C. jejuni in 7 pieces (29.2 %), C. coli in 4 pieces (16.6 %) were detected on worked samples. C. lari was not detected in any samples. The samples which were detected positive for Campylobacter by MPCR technique, were analyzed for of Cdt genes. 90.9 % of strains were found positive for Cdt A and Cdt C, whereas Cdt B gene was detected on 81.8 % of strains. In C. jejuni, the existance rates of Cdt A and Cdt C genes were found to be same as 85.7% and 71.4% for the Cdt B gene. All three toxin genes were detected in all strains of C. coli. Consequently , Campylobacter species containing toxin genes were found in chickens for sale in Kütahya province and use can concluded that consummation of these products without adequate heat treatment, they could create risk for public health. Keywords: Cdt, Chicken meat, MPCR, Thermophilic Campylobacter.