Introduction:Campylobacteriosis is one of the most common bacterial causes of gastroenteritidis worldwide. The virulence factors related with adherence and invasion of epithelial cells are considered to be important for the induction of gastroenteritidis. In this study the prevalence of adhesion and invasion-associated gene in Campylobacter strains isolated from domestic and imported chicken meat were investigated, and to further compare the adhesion and invasion of these Campylobacter strains on in vitro cell culture model using INT-407 cells(human intestinal epithelial cell).
Materials and Methods:A total of 74 C. jejuni and C. coli strains, including 38 isolates from domestic and 36 from imported chicken meat were tested in this study. The presence of seven adhesion and invasion-associated genes (cadF, peblA, jlpA,porA, CJE1415, CJE1538, P95) were assessed by PCR and adherence and internalization assays were preformed with INT 407 as previously described [2].
Results:Among a total of 74 Campylobacter spp., the cadF, peb1A, jlpA, porA, CJE1415, CJE1538 and P95 were present in 63 (85.1%), 73 (98.6%), 64 (86.5%), 71 (95.9%), 72 (97.3%), 65 (87.8%) and 73 (98.6%) Campylobacter spp., respectively.Significantly higher proportions of C. jejuni strains contained cadF and jlpA as compared to C. coli (44/46 vs 19/28 and 43/46 vs 21/28; P<0.001). The strains contained all genes tested in this study had significantly higher adherence and invasive capability to INT-407 cells as compared to cadF¯, jlpA¯, cadF¯·jlpA¯, cadF¯·jlpA¯·porA¯ and peb1A¯·jlpA¯·CJE1415¯·P95¯ strains.
Conclusions:The prevalence of each gene suggests their potential role as important biological and pathogenic factor involved in Campylobacter spp. infection.