Development and evaluation of a multiplex PCR for the detection of campylobacter concisus and other campylobacter spp. from gastroenteritis cases

We developed and evaluated a multiplex PCR (m-PCR) for application in routine diagnostic labor- atories to detect Campylobacter spp. in stool samples including C. concisus, C. jejuni, and C. coli. When this m-PCR was applied on spiked faecal samples, C. concisus, C. jejuni, and C. coli were spe- cifically identified at 105 cells/gm of faeces. To compare the sensitivity of the m-PCR with conven- tional culture techniques, the same spiked stool samples were cultured on an antibiotic free Co- lumbia blood agar using the filtration technique. The detection limit of conventional culture me- thod was 105 cells/gm of stool for C. concisus and 106 cells/gm of stool for C. jejuni and C. coli. The m-PCR was applied to test 127 faecal samples from children with gastroenteritis and the results were compared with the conventional bacterial cultures data. By this m-PCR technique, C. jejuni was detected in 7 samples, C. coli in 2 samples, and C. concisus in 7 samples. However, the conven- tional culture results for these samples were 6 for C. jejuni, 2 for C. coli and only one sample was positive for C. concisus. In total, 19 samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. by m-PCR while only 9 samples were positive for Campylobacter spp. by culture. In conclusion, m-PCR is more sen- sitive than the culture technique to detect C. concisus and other fastidious campylobacters in faeces