Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni an important zoonotic food borne pathogen from mastitis milk and raw milk samples

Campylobacter has emerged as an important zoonotic food borne pathogen of human and animals worldwide. Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial enteropathogens of food borne origin in industrialized countries with C. jejuni being the most common species followed by C. coli. There are very few cases reported from mastitis therefore this study was aimed to determine the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni from from mastitis milk and raw milk samples.

Total of 72 milk samples comprising mastitis milk (20) and raw milk (52) were collected. The samples were subjected to cultural examination, biochemical as well as molecular identification. The isolates were further subjected to phenotypic characterization by biochemical test and genotypic characterization by polymerase chain reaction. The isolates were subjected to PCR targeting hip O and MAP A genes.

The 52 samples showed growth on modified Blood Free Charcoal Cefoperazone Deoxycholate agar media and 18 (34.61%) samples showed typical morphological characteristics. The result revealed that 10 (19.23%) isolates were positive by phenotypic characteristic and 7(70%) by Polymerase chain reaction for C. jejuni. The outcome result showed that importance of Campylobacter jejuni in cattle, especially raw milk and milk from mastitis cows, as a potential source for transmission of Campylobacteriosis in human and dairy farm environment. This can cause acute bacterial gastroenteritis in humans and associated with foodborn infection, food safety and a serious public health threat.