| Arcobacter has been shown to be present in various sources including poultry, water, and humans exhibiting gastroenteritis. This study investigated the occurrence of Arcobacter in poultry, cattle, water, cabbage, and clinical patients exhibiting loose stool or diarrhea to gain a further understanding of its presence in the environment. Arcobacter has been shown to cause illness in humans, and the toxic activity is currently uncharacterized. The Cytolethal Distending Toxin (CDT) has been demonstrated as a toxin in other organisms closely related to Arcobacter. Thus, CDT production was also examined in Arcobacter isolates from these sources using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), HeLa, CHO and INT407 cells in culture and flow cytometry. Arcobacter was isolated from poultry (86%), cattle rectal swab (20%), water (30%), and clinical patients (0.6%). None of the cabbage samples tested positive for Arcobacter spp. A. butzleri was isolated in all of the sources and A. cryaerophilus was found only in cattle. ERIC-PCR fingerprinting of the A. butzleri isolates grouped the clinical isolates with the ones found in poultry. Fingerprinting of the A. cryaerophilus strains generated unique subtypes for all isolates tested. Arcobacter sonicates and filtrates were tested for CDT like activity on CHO, HeLa, and INT407 cells in culture. No CDT amplimers were observed in any of the Arcobacter isolates investigated. INT 407 and HeLa cells in culture treated with Arcobacter bacterial sonicates and filtrates displayed toxicity. HeLa and INT407 cells treated with Arcobacter sonicates exhibited normal cell cycle. Arcobacter isolates examined in this study displayed toxicity to cells in culture, however not related to CDT production. Thus, Arcobacter can be isolated throughout the environment and demonstrated toxicity on mammalian cell lines. |
