Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-nwzlb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T08:28:55.874Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Epidemiologic application of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni in an Austrian youth centre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2000

A. LEHNER
Affiliation:
Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
C. SCHNECK
Affiliation:
Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
G. FEIERL
Affiliation:
Institute of Hygiene, University Graz, Universitätsplatz 1, A-8010 Graz, Austria
P. PLESS
Affiliation:
Veterinary Administration, Styrian Government, Zimmerplatzgasse, 15, A-8010 Graz, Austria
A. DEUTZ
Affiliation:
Veterinary Administration, Styrian Government, Zimmerplatzgasse, 15, A-8010 Graz, Austria
E. BRANDL
Affiliation:
Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
M. WAGNER
Affiliation:
Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We report the first documented Campylobacter jejuni outbreak in an Austrian youth centre. Sixty-four children were involved of which 38 showed classical signs of campylobacter gastroenteritis. Since unpasteurized milk distributed by a local dairy was suspected to be the source of infection, stool samples were collected from 20 cows providing the milk. Five of the cows tested positive for C. jejuni. These isolates together with 37 clinical samples were compared by pulsed-field-gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The PFGE patterns, using the restriction endonucleases SmaI and SalI, were identical for the human and bovine isolates.This finding confirmed that the outbreak was caused by the consumption of unpasteurized milk contaminated with C. jejuni.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press