Arcobacter species in diarrhoeal faeces from humans in New Zealand
Mandisodza, O.; Burrows, E.; Nulsen, M.
New Zealand Medical Journal 125(1353): 40-46
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 1175-8716 PMID: 22522270 Document Number: 661228
To determine the prevalence, genetic diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility of Arcobacter spp in faecal samples from humans with diarrhoea in New Zealand. An enrichment method was used to isolate Arcobacter spp from diarrhoeal human faeces submitted to a community laboratory in Hawke's Bay. The identity of isolates was confirmed by PCR and their diversity was determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Antibiotic susceptibility was established with E test strips. Arcobacter spp were isolated from 12 of 1380 diarrhoeal faecal samples examined (0.9%), including 7 A. butzleri and 5 A. cryaerophilus. Additional enteric pathogens were detected in four of these diarrhoeal faecal samples. All the Arcobacter isolates were genetically distinct and susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Most were also susceptible to erythromycin (92%) but fewer to tetracycline (67%) and ampicillin(50%). A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus cause a small proportion of cases of diarrhoea in humans resident in New Zealand.