Colony Multiplex PCR Assay for Identification and Differentiation of <i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> , <i>C. coli</i> , <i>C. lari</i> , <i>C. upsaliensis</i> , and <i>C. fetus</i> subsp <i>. fetus</i>

Abstract

A multiplex PCR assay was used to simultaneously detect genes from the five major clinically relevant Campylobacter spp. Those genes selected were hipO and 23S rRNA from Campylobacter jejuni; glyA from each of C. coli, C. lari, and C. upsaliensis; and sapB2 from C. fetus subsp. fetus. The assay was evaluated with 137 clinical and environmental isolates and was found to be rapid and easy to perform and had a high sensitivity and specificity for characterizing isolates, even in mixed cultures.