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Survival of Thermotolerant Campylobacters in Water

Overlevingsevnen til termotolerante Campylobacter i vann

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 27, pages 1–10 (1986)Cite this article

Abstract

Three bacterial strains, classified as Campylobacter jejuni biotype 1, Campylobacter coli, and NARTG (nalidixic-acid-resistant thermophilic Campylobacters), were tested for survival in water specimens kept at 4, 12, and 20°C. Five different water milieus were compared: sterile physiological saline, chlorinated tap water, dechlorinated tap water, polluted river water, and sterile filtered river water. With few exceptions, all organisms survived better at 4°C than at 12 or 20°C, regardless of the water milieu. Briefest survival was detected at 20°C; no viable Campylobacters could be demonstrated after more than 2 days at this temperature. Of the 5 waiter milieus tested, the highest mean survival time for all strains was obtained with dechlorinated tap water. In this medium, all 3 strains remained viable for 15 days at 4°C, 10 days at 12°C, and 2 days ait 20°C. Briefest survival was obtained in chlorinated tap water. Even residual amounts of Cl2 drastically reduced the survival of all strains tested. Only small variations in viability were detected for 2 of the strains tested after sterile filtration of a water source with a dense bacterial population. The results are discussed in relation to waterborne outbreaks of campylobacteriosis.

Sammendrag

Tre stammer klassifisert som C. jejuni biotype 1, G. coli og NARTG, med henholdsvis serotype LAU 1, LAU 8/11 og LAU 14, ble testet for overlevingsevne i 5 vanntyper ved 4, 12 og 20 °C. Vanntypene var som følger: sterilt fysiologisk saltvann, klorholdig springvann, avklorert springvann, forurenset elvevann og sterilfiltrert elvevann. Lengst overlevelse blant de testede stammene ble funnet for C. jejuni-stammen i fysiologisk saltvann ved 4°C (21 døgn). Den lengste gjennomsnittlig overlevingstid, uansett vanntype og stamme, ble oppnådd ved 4°G (9,9 døgn), fulgt av 12°G (7,5 døgn) og 20°C (1,1 døgn). Som overlevingsmedium viste avklorert drikkevann seg best egnet, uansett stamme og temperatur, men selv små rester av klor (< 0,06 mg Cl2/1) i drikkevannet reduserte overlevingsevnen drastisk. Sterilfiltrering ga noe kortere overlevingsevne for 2 av de 3 testede Campylo-bacter-stammene. Resultatene blir satt i relasjon til vannbårne utbrudd av campylobacteriose.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Georg Kapperud for essential help with various aspects of this survey, and Kari Dommarsnes for excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Hygiene, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 8146, N-0033, Oslo 1, Norway

    Bjørn Gondrosen

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  1. Bjørn Gondrosen
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Gondrosen, B. Survival of Thermotolerant Campylobacters in Water. Acta Vet Scand 27, 1–10 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548554

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147