Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter spp. isolated from retail chicken in two health units in Ontario.

Campylobacter is an important enteric pathogen of humans and can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. Campylobacter infections have frequently been associated with the handling and consumption of raw and undercooked poultry. Antimicrobial resistance among Campylobacter strains is of concern in the treatment of campylobacteriosis in vulnerable populations.

Cost analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing comparing the E test and the agar dilution method in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli.

Although numerous reports have compared the antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter spp., controversy still exists about the use of the E test as an alternative to the agar dilution method suggested by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. MICs of 8 antimicrobials were determined using the E test and agar dilution methods for 103 Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates from fresh chicken randomly purchased from stores in 3 southern Ontario counties.

Associations between antimicrobial exposure and resistance in fecal Campylobacter spp. from grow-finish pigs on-farm in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Campylobacter spp. (n = 405), isolated from the feces of apparently healthy grow-finish pigs in 20 herds, were tested for susceptibility to 10 antimicrobials representing seven classes. Twelve percent of the isolates were susceptible to all drugs, while 64% were resistant to two or more antimicrobial classes.

Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli isolated from retail turkey meat from southern Ontario, Canada.

This study estimated the prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli isolated from fresh retail turkey purchased at grocery stores in Ontario, Canada. The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined and assessed for potential public health risk. From February 2003 to May 2004, 465 raw turkey meat samples were collected.

Serological assessment of synthetic peptides of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 FlaA protein using antibodies against multiple serotypes.

The flagellum of Campylobacter jejuni is not only responsible for initiating colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of host animals but is also a major antigen that induces protective immune responses. However, protection is limited to the homologous strain and the ability to protect against multiple serotypes has yet to be determined. In this study, we have shown that FlaA is an immunodominant protein on NCTC11168 CJ1 flagella and we mapped the immunoreactive epitopes on the protein by probing a series of overlapping synthetic peptides spanning the entire sequence with sera against multiple C.

Novel Campylobacter isolation method using hydrophobic grid membrane filter and semisolid medium.

Culture procedures for isolation of thermophilic campylobacters from food matrices are complex, labor intensive, and time-consuming. Most available methods include the use of antibiotics as selective agents to prevent the growth of competing microflora. A simple procedure for isolation of thermophilic campylobacters after enrichment in Rosef's enrichment broth was developed using a hydrophobic grid membrane filter (HGMF) on semisolid medium (SSM).

Pathogenesis of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a postinfectious disorder caused by an aberrant immune response to an infectious pathogen, resulting in an autoimmune disease. As with other autoimmune diseases of infectious nature, the intricate balance of the numerous factors involved in the immune response may determine the outcome of the interaction between the microbe and host. Recent studies focusing on the role of cytokines and its network of related mediators and receptors suggest that any imbalance may make a significant contribution to the outcome of the infectious disease process.