Evaluation of novel agars for the enumeration of Campylobacter spp. in poultry retail samples

• Published in: Journal of microbiological methods 2012-02, Vol.88 (2), p.304-310
• Main Authors: Ahmed, R., León-Velarde, C.G., Odumeru, J.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agar - chemistry; Animals; Bacteriological methods and techniques used in bacteriology; Bacteriology; BCCA; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; CASA; CCA; CFA; Chickens; Colony Count, Microbial - methods; Culture Media - chemistry; Food Contamination - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; mCCDA; Meat - microbiology; Microbiology; Sensitivity and Specificity
• ISSN: 0167-7012; 1872-8359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2011.12.011

The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of novel agars for the identification and enumeration of Campylobacter species. The analytical sensitivity and specificity of Campylobacter Selective agar (CASA), Brilliance CampyCount agar (BCCA) and CampyFoodIDagar (CFA) for 84 Campylobacter spp. isolates and 50 non-Campylobacter spp. isolates from 37 distinct genera were of 100% sensitivity, with a 98% specificity for BCCA and CFA, and a 100% specificity for CASA. The application of these selective agars for Campylobacter spp. enumeration in comparison to the conventional agars, modified charcoal cefoperazonedeoxycholate agar (mCCDA) and Campy-Cefex (CCA) was examined using Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli inoculated samples. From C. jejuni inoculated samples, recovery on BCCA was significantly greater than other media (p0.05). With C. coli inoculated samples, recovery was significantly greater on BCCA and CASA than with other media (p