Genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and the farm environment

The genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and their environment was investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). A total of 30 genotypes, defined by allelic profiles (assigned to sequence types [STs]), were found in 112 C. jejuni isolates originating in poultry, cattle, sheep, starlings, and slurry. All but two of these genotypes belonged to one of nine C. jejuni clonal complexes previously identified in isolates from human disease and retail food samples and one clonal complex previously associated with an environmental source. There was some evidence for the association of certain clonal complexes with particular farm animals: isolates belonging to the ST-45 complex predominated among poultry isolates but were absent among sheep isolates, while isolates belonging to the ST-61 and ST-42 complexes were predominant among sheep isolates but were absent from the poultry isolates. In contrast, ST-21 complex isolates were distributed among the different isolation sources. Comparison with MLST data from 91 human disease isolates showed small but significant genetic differentiation between the farm and human isolates; however, representatives of six clonal complexes were found in both samples. These data demonstrate that MLST and the clonal complex model can be used to identify and compare the genotypes of C. jejuni isolates from farm animals and the environment with those from retail food and human disease.     

Comparison of Campylobacter populations in wild geese with those in starlings and free-range poultry on the same farm

Wild geese are a potential source of Campylobacter infection for humans and farm animals and have been implicated in at least two large waterborne disease outbreaks. There have been few investigations into the population biology of Campylobacter in geese, carriage rates are reported to vary (0 to 100%), and no genetic characterization of isolates has been performed. Fecal samples collected from wild geese in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, were culture positive for C. jejuni (50.2%) and C. coli (0.3%). The C. jejuni (n = 166) isolates were characterized by using multilocus sequence typing and were compared with isolates collected from free-range broiler chickens and wild starlings sampled at the same location. A total of 38 STs, six clonal complexes, and 23 flaA SVR nucleotide STs were identified. The ST-21 and ST-45 complexes (5.4% of isolates) were the only complexes to be identified among isolates from the geese and the other bird species sampled in the same location. These clonal complexes were also identified among human disease isolates collected in the same health care region. The results indicate that large numbers of wild geese carry Campylobacter; however, there was limited mixing of Campylobacter populations among the different sources examined, and the host source could be predicted with high probability from the allelic profile of a C. jejuni isolate. In conclusion, genotypes of C. jejuni isolated from geese are highly host specific, and a comparison with isolates from Oxfordshire cases of human disease revealed that while geese cannot be excluded as a source of infection for humans and farm animals, their contribution is likely to be minor.     

Comparison of genotypes and serotypes of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from Danish wild mammals and birds and from broiler flocks and humans.

The incidence of human infection with Campylobacter jejuni is increasing in most developed countries and the reason for this is largely unknown. Although poultry meat is considered to be a major source, it is evident that other reservoirs exist, possibly common to humans and poultry. Environmental sources are believed to be important reservoirs of Campylobacter infection in broiler chicken flocks. We investigated the potential importance of wildlife as a source of infection in commercial poultry flocks and in humans by comparing the serotype distributions, fla types, and macrorestriction profiles (MRPs) of C. jejuni isolates from different sources. The serotype distribution in wildlife was significantly different from the known distributions in broilers and humans. Considerable sero- and genotype diversity was found within the wildlife collection, although two major groups of isolates within serotype O:12 and the O:4 complex were found. Common clonal lines among wildlife, chicken, and/or human isolates were identified within serotype O:2 and the O:4 complex. However, MRPs of O:12 and O:38 strains isolated from wildlife and other sources indicated that some clonal lines propagated in a wide selection of animal species but were not detected in humans or broilers in this study. The applied typing methods successfully identified different clonal groups within a strain collection showing large genomic diversity. However, the relatively low number of wildlife strains with an inferred clonal relationship to human and chicken strains suggests that the importance of wildlife as a reservoir of infection is limited.     

Longitudinal study of the molecular epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni in cattle on dairy farms

Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), an accurate and phylogenetically robust characterization method for population studies of Campylobacter, was applied to Campylobacter jejuni isolates (n = 297) from the fecal samples of cattle from five dairy farms in Cheshire, United Kingdom, collected throughout 2003. The population dynamics of the C. jejuni strains, as identified by the occurrence of sequence types and clonal complexes, demonstrated variations within and between cattle populations over time. Three clonal lineages have emerged to predominate among the cattle isolates, namely, the ST-61 complex (24.2%), ST-21 complex (23.6%), and ST-42 complex (20.5%). This provided further evidence that the ST-61 clonal complex may present a cattle-adapted C. jejuni genotype. In addition, the ST-42 clonal complex may also represent an important cattle-associated genotype. Strong geographical associations for these genotypes were also found among the farms. This is the first longitudinal study and the largest study to date for C. jejuni involving cattle populations using MLST for accurate strain characterization. This study shows the important associations between cattle and C. jejuni clonal complexes ST-61, ST-21, and ST-42, and it suggests that cattle and/or dairy products are likely to be a source of the human Campylobacter gastroenteritis caused by such genotypes. The reported findings have significant implications for the design of effective intervention strategies for disease control and prevention.     

Identification and characterization of insect-specific proteins by genome data analysis

Background

Previous studies have sought to identify a link between the distribution of variable genes amongst isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and particular host preferences. The genomic sequence data available currently was obtained using only isolates from human or chicken hosts. In order to identify variable genes present in isolates from alternative host species, five subtractions between C. jejuni isolates from different sources (rabbit, cattle, wild bird) were carried out, designed to assess genomic variability within and between common multilocus sequence type (MLST) clonal complexes (ST-21, ST-42, ST-45 and ST-61).

Results

The vast majority (97%) of the 195 subtracted sequences identified had a best BLASTX match with a Campylobacter protein. However, there was considerable variation within and between the four clonal complexes included in the subtractions. The distributions of eight variable sequences, including four with putative roles in the use of alternative terminal electron acceptors, amongst a panel of C. jejuni isolates representing diverse sources and STs, were determined.

Conclusion

There was a clear correlation between clonal complex and the distribution of the metabolic genes. In contrast, there was no evidence to support the hypothesis that the distribution of such genes may be related to host preference. The other variable genes studied were also generally distributed according to MLST type. Thus, we found little evidence for widespread horizontal gene transfer between clonal complexes involving these genes.     

Genetic diversity and quinolone resistance in Campylobacter jejuni isolates from poultry in Senegal

We used the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method to evaluate the genetic diversity of 46 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from chickens and to determine the link between quinolone resistance and sequence type (ST). There were a total of 16 ST genotypes, and the majority of them belonged to seven clonal complexes previously identified by using isolates from human disease. The ST-353 complex was the most common complex, whereas the ST-21, ST-42, ST-52, and ST-257 complexes were less well represented. The resistance phenotype varied for each ST, and the Thr-86-Ile substitution in the GyrA protein was the predominant mechanism of resistance to quinolone. Nine of the 14 isolates having the Thr-86-Ile substitution belonged to the ST-353 complex. MLST showed that the emergence of quinolone resistance is not related to the diffusion of a unique clone and that there is no link between ST genotype and quinolone resistance. Based on silent mutations, different variants of the gyrA gene were shown to exist for the same ST. These data provide useful information for understanding the epidemiology of C. jejuni in Senegal.     

Genotypic and phenotypic properties of cattle-associated Campylobacter and their implications to public health in the USA

Since cattle are a major source of food and the cattle industry engages people from farms to processing plants and meat markets, it is conceivable that beef-products contaminated with Campylobacter spp. would pose a significant public health concern. To better understand the epidemiology of cattle-associated Campylobacter spp. in the USA, we characterized the prevalence, genotypic and phenotypic properties of these pathogens. Campylobacter were detected in 181 (19.2%) out of 944 fecal samples. Specifically, 71 C. jejuni, 132 C. coli, and 10 other Campylobacter spp. were identified. The prevalence of Campylobacter varied regionally and was significantly (P<0.05) higher in fecal samples collected from the South (32.8%) as compared to those from the North (14.8%), Midwest (15.83%), and East (12%). Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis showed that C. jejuni and C. coli isolates were genotypically diverse and certain genotypes were shared across two or more of the geographic locations. In addition, 13 new C. jejuni and two C. coli sequence types (STs) were detected by Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST). C. jejuni associated with clinically human health important sequence type, ST-61 which was not previously reported in the USA, was identified in the present study. Most frequently observed clonal complexes (CC) were CC ST-21, CC ST-42, and CC ST-61, which are also common in humans. Further, the cattle associated C. jejuni strains showed varying invasion and intracellular survival capacity; however, C. coli strains showed a lower invasion and intracellular survival potential compared to C. jejuni strains. Furthermore, many cattle associated Campylobacter isolates showed resistance to several antimicrobials including ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and gentamicin. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of cattle as a potential reservoir for clinically important Campylobacter.     

Longitudinal study of Finnish Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli isolates from humans, using multilocus sequence typing, including comparison with epidemiological data and isolates from poultry and cattle

We describe a study on the application of multilocus sequence typing for the analysis of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli isolates from human domestically acquired infections in the Helsinki-Uusimaa area of Finland in 1996, 2002, and 2003. In addition, isolates from poultry meat and fecal samples of cattle from the seasonal peak (July to September) in 2003 were included in the study. In total, 361 Finnish C. jejuni and C. coli strains were typed. Sequence type 45 (ST-45) (45%), ST-21 (21%), and ST-677 (11%) clonal complexes were the most prevalent. The ST-45 and ST-677 complexes were overrepresented in comparison with previous studies. The longitudinal study revealed an association between C. coli (ST-828 complex) infection and elderly patients (>/=60 years). Analysis of exposure factors, determined by a previous case-control study conducted during the seasonal peak in 2002, revealed that the ST-48 complex was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with the tasting or eating of raw minced meat. New and unassigned STs were associated with swimming in natural bodies of water, whereas the ST-677 complex was related to drinking nonchlorinated water from a small water plant or water from natural sources. The ST-45 complex was associated with contact with pet cats and dogs. In 2003, ST-45 occurrence was significantly associated with poultry whereas ST-50 was associated with isolates from humans. In contrast, ST-53, ST-58, ST-61, and ST-883 were significantly associated with isolates from cattle. Further studies are needed to reveal the significance of the observed associations.     

Dynamics of Campylobacter colonization of a natural host, Sturnus vulgaris (European starling)

Wild European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) shed Campylobacter at high rates, suggesting that they may be a source of human and farm animal infection. A survey of Campylobacter shedding of 957 wild starlings was undertaken by culture of faecal specimens and genetic analysis of the campylobacters isolated: shedding rates were 30.6% for Campylobacter jejuni , 0.6% for C. coli and 6.3% for C. lari. Genotyping by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and antigen sequence typing established that these bacteria were distinct from poultry or human disease isolates with the ST-177 and ST-682 clonal complexes possibly representing starling-adapted genotypes. There was seasonal variation in both shedding rate and genotypic diversity, both exhibiting a maximum during the late spring/early summer. Host age also affected Campylobacter shedding, which was higher in younger birds, and turnover was rapid with no evidence of cross-immunity among Campylobacter species or genotypes. In nestlings, C. jejuni shedding was evident from 9 days of age but siblings were not readily co-infected. The dynamics of Campylobacter infection of starlings differed from that observed in commercial poultry and consequently there was no evidence that wild starlings represent a major source of Campylobacter infections of food animals or humans.     

Influence of season and geography on Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli subtypes in housed broiler flocks reared in Great Britain

Geographical and seasonal variation in the incidence and prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli in housed broiler flocks reared in Great Britain in 2004 to 2006 was investigated in this study. Ceca (30) from 797 flocks, not subject to prior partial depopulation and reared on 211 farms, were examined individually for the presence of Campylobacter spp. The best-fitting climatic factors explained approximately 46% of the prevalence of Campylobacter-colonized flocks at slaughter and consisted of a combination of temperature at slaughter, number of sunshine hours in placement month, and millimeters of rainfall in placement month. Positive flocks were more likely to be slaughtered between June and November than during the rest of the year and to be reared in northern Great Britain than in central or southern Great Britain. C. jejuni was identified in approximately 90% of flocks, and C. coli was present in 10% of flocks. The most common clonal complexes identified in 226 isolates typed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were ST-45, ST-21, ST-574, ST-443, and ST-828. Flocks slaughtered at the same time were more likely to have similar complexes, and ST-45 had a seasonal pattern, with the highest prevalence in June, and was also more likely to be present in flocks reared in northern Great Britain.     

Genetic Diversity of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Farm Animals and the Farm Environment

The genetic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from farm animals and their environment was investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). A total of 30 genotypes, defined by allelic profiles (assigned to sequence types [STs]), were found in 112 C. jejuni isolates originating in poultry, cattle, sheep, starlings, and slurry. All but two of these genotypes belonged to one of nine C. jejuni clonal complexes previously identified in isolates from human disease and retail food samples and one clonal complex previously associated with an environmental source. There was some evidence for the association of certain clonal complexes with particular farm animals: isolates belonging to the ST-45 complex predominated among poultry isolates but were absent among sheep isolates, while isolates belonging to the ST-61 and ST-42 complexes were predominant among sheep isolates but were absent from the poultry isolates. In contrast, ST-21 complex isolates were distributed among the different isolation sources. Comparison with MLST data from 91 human disease isolates showed small but significant genetic differentiation between the farm and human isolates; however, representatives of six clonal complexes were found in both samples. These data demonstrate that MLST and the clonal complex model can be used to identify and compare the genotypes of C. jejuni isolates from farm animals and the environment with those from retail food and human disease.     

Association of Campylobacter jejuni metabolic traits with multilocus sequence types

In this study, we describe the association of three Campylobacter jejuni metabolism-related traits, γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT), fucose permease (fucP), and secreted L-asparaginase [ansB(s)], with multilocus sequence types (STs). A total of 710 C. jejuni isolates with known STs were selected and originated from humans, poultry, bovines, and the environment. Among these isolates, we found 31.1% to produce GGT and 49.3% and 30.3% to be positive for ansB(s) and fucP, respectively. The combination of GGT production, the presence of ansB(s), and the absence of fucP was associated with ST-22, ST-586, and the ST-45 and ST-283 clonal complexes (CCs), which were the main STs and CCs found among the human and chicken isolates. The ST-21 CC was associated with the presence of fucP and was the major CC among the bovine isolates. Although the ST-61 CC was the second major CC among the bovine isolates, these isolates did not have any of the markers studied, making the role of fucP in bovine gut colonization questionable. The ST-45 CC was subdivided into three groups that were attributed solely to ST-45. One group showed a marker combination described previously, another group was found to be positive for ansB(s) only, and the third group did not have any of the markers studied. These results suggest that the host association of these markers seems to be indirect and may arise as a consequence of host-ST and -CC associations. Thus, a representative collection of STs should be tested to draw sensible conclusions in similar studies.     

Spatial epidemiology and natural population structure of Campylobacter jejuni colonizing a farmland ecosystem

Recent progress in determining the population structure of Campylobacter jejuni, and discerning associations between genotypes and specific niches, has emphasized the shortfall in our understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of this bacterium. We examined the natural structure of the C. jejuni community associated with cattle farmland in the UK by structured spatiotemporal sampling of habitats, including livestock and wild animal faeces, environmental water and soil, over a 10-week period within a 100 km2 area. A total of 172 isolates were characterized using multilocus sequence typing into 65 sequence types (STs). Isolates from cattle faeces were significantly over-represented in the ST-61 complex, whereas isolates from wildlife faeces and water were more likely to belong to the ST-45 complex and a number of unusual STs, many of which were first encountered during this study. Sampling within a narrow spatiotemporal window permitted the application of novel statistical methods exploring the relationship between the genetic relatedness and spatial separation of isolates. This approach showed that isolates from the same sampling squares and squares separated by <1.0 km were genetically more similar than isolates separated by greater distances. Our study demonstrates the potential of multilocus sequence typing combined with spatial modelling in exploring natural transmission pathways for C. jejuni.     

Multilocus sequence typing of Campylobacter jejuni, and the correlation between clonal complex and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis macrorestriction profile

The characterization of Campylobacter jejuni has been significantly improved by the use of multilocus sequence typing (MLST), which allows the relationship between isolates to be determined. The sequence types (STs) of 261 isolates of C. jejuni from New Zealand were determined. Isolates were obtained from a range of sources including chicken meat, cattle, pigs, duck, sheep, water and human infections. Thirty-two new alleles and 44 new STs were identified. Comparison of the MLST data and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis macrorestriction profiles showed that the macrorestriction profiles were good predictors of the clonal complex (CC) but not ST. All the major CCs identified elsewhere in the world were found in New Zealand as well as the association of certain CCs with particular animal niches. The majority of new STs identified were from river water isolates.     

Molecular Evidence for the Thriving of Campylobacter jejuni ST-4526 in Japan

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide. This study aimed at a better understanding of the genetic diversity of this pathogen disseminated in Japan. We performed multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from different sources (100 human, 61 poultry, and 51 cattle isolates) in Japan between 2005 and 2006. This approach identified 62 sequence types (STs) and 19 clonal complexes (CCs), including 11 novel STs. These 62 STs were phylogenetically divided into 6 clusters, partially exhibiting host association. We identified a novel ST (ST-4526) that has never been reported in other countries; a phylogenetic analysis showed that ST-4526 and related STs showed distant lineage from the founder ST, ST-21 within CC-21. Comparative genome analysis was performed to investigate which properties could be responsible for the successful dissemination of ST-4526 in Japan. Results revealed that three representative ST-4526 isolates contained a putative island comprising the region from Cj0737 to Cj0744, which differed between the ST-4526 isolates and the reference strain NCTC11168 (ST-43/CC-21). Amino acid sequence alignment analyses showed that two of three ST-4526 isolates expressed 693aa- filamentous hemagglutination domain protein (FHA), while most of other C. jejuni strains whose genome were sequenced exhibited its truncation. Correspondingly, host cell binding of FHA-positive C. jejuni was greater than that of FHA-truncated strains, and exogenous administration of rFHA protein reduced cell adhesion of FHA-positive bacteria. Biochemical assays showed that this putative protein exhibited a dose-dependent binding affinity to heparan sulfate, indicating its adhesin activity. Moreover, ST-4526 showed increased antibiotic-resistance (nalidixic acid and fluoroquinolones) and a reduced ability for DNA uptake. Taken together, our data suggested that these combined features contributed to the clonal thriving of ST-4526 in Japan.     

Comparison of Genotypes and Serotypes of Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from Danish Wild Mammals and Birds and from Broiler Flocks and Humans

The incidence of human infection with Campylobacter jejuni is increasing in most developed countries and the reason for this is largely unknown. Although poultry meat is considered to be a major source, it is evident that other reservoirs exist, possibly common to humans and poultry. Environmental sources are believed to be important reservoirs of Campylobacter infection in broiler chicken flocks. We investigated the potential importance of wildlife as a source of infection in commercial poultry flocks and in humans by comparing the serotype distributions, fla types, and macrorestriction profiles (MRPs) of C. jejuni isolates from different sources. The serotype distribution in wildlife was significantly different from the known distributions in broilers and humans. Considerable sero- and genotype diversity was found within the wildlife collection, although two major groups of isolates within serotype O:12 and the O:4 complex were found. Common clonal lines among wildlife, chicken, and/or human isolates were identified within serotype O:2 and the O:4 complex. However, MRPs of O:12 and O:38 strains isolated from wildlife and other sources indicated that some clonal lines propagated in a wide selection of animal species but were not detected in humans or broilers in this study. The applied typing methods successfully identified different clonal groups within a strain collection showing large genomic diversity. However, the relatively low number of wildlife strains with an inferred clonal relationship to human and chicken strains suggests that the importance of wildlife as a reservoir of infection is limited.     

Reference isolates for the clonal complexes of Campylobacter jejuni

AIMS: To identify and make available through the National Collection of Type Cultures (NCTC) a set of reference isolates for the clonal complexes of Campylobacter jejuni. METHODS AND RESULTS: The development of a multilocus sequence typing scheme for C. jejuni enabled the genetic characterization of a large number of isolates (n = 814) from cases of human disease, animals, birds and their food products. The nucleotide sequence data were used to assign each isolate an allelic profile or sequence type (ST) and examine the C. jejuni population structure in terms of clonal complexes. The clonal complexes consisted of an abundant central or founder genotype (ST), after which the complex was named, together with very closely related, generally less abundant genotypes differing from the founder at one, two or three loci. The clonal complex is an informative unit for the study C. jejuni epidemiology. It provides data which enabled the choice of 13 C. jejuni founder isolates for submission to the NCTC as a representative cross-section of the C. jejuni population. CONCLUSIONS: These 13 isolates provide a defined resource for further research into aspects of C. jejuni biology such as genomic diversity, virulence and adaptation to particular hosts or environmental survival. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: This isolate collection is available through the NCTC and provides a resource for further research.     

Characterization of water and wildlife strains as a subgroup of Campylobacter jejuni using DNA microarrays

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, but source attribution of the organism is difficult. Previously, DNA microarrays were used to investigate isolate source, which suggested a non‐livestock source of infection. In this study we analysed the genome content of 162 clinical, livestock and water and wildlife (WW) associated isolates combined with the previous study. Isolates were grouped by genotypes into nine clusters (C1 to C9). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) data demonstrated that livestock associated clonal complexes dominated clusters C1–C6. The majority of WW isolates were present in the C9 cluster. Analysis of previously reported genomic variable regions demonstrated that these regions were linked to specific clusters. Two novel variable regions were identified. A six gene multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay, designed to effectively differentiated strains into clusters, was validated with 30 isolates. A further five WW isolates were tested by mPCR and were assigned to the C7‐C9 group of clusters. The predictive mPCR test could be used to indicate if a clinical case has come from domesticated or WW sources. Our findings provide further evidence that WW C. jejuni subtypes show niche adaptation and may be important in causing human infection.     

Whole-genome comparison of two Campylobacter jejuni isolates of the same sequence type reveals multiple loci of different ancestral lineage

Campylobacter jejuni ST-474 is the most important human enteric pathogen in New Zealand, and yet this genotype is rarely found elsewhere in the world. Insight into the evolution of this organism was gained by a whole genome comparison of two ST-474, flaA SVR-14 isolates and other available C. jejuni isolates and genomes. The two isolates were collected from different sources, human (H22082) and retail poultry (P110b), at the same time and from the same geographical location. Solexa sequencing of each isolate resulted in ~1.659 Mb (H22082) and ~1.656 Mb (P110b) of assembled sequences within 28 (H22082) and 29 (P110b) contigs. We analysed 1502 genes for which we had sequences within both ST-474 isolates and within at least one of 11 C. jejuni reference genomes. Although 94.5% of genes were identical between the two ST-474 isolates, we identified 83 genes that differed by at least one nucleotide, including 55 genes with non-synonymous substitutions. These covered 101 kb and contained 672 point differences. We inferred that 22 (3.3%) of these differences were due to mutation and 650 (96.7%) were imported via recombination. Our analysis estimated 38 recombinant breakpoints within these 83 genes, which correspond to recombination events affecting at least 19 loci regions and gives a tract length estimate of ~2 kb. This includes a ~12 kb region displaying non-homologous recombination in one of the ST-474 genomes, with the insertion of two genes, including ykgC, a putative oxidoreductase, and a conserved hypothetical protein of unknown function. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the source of this recombined DNA is more likely to have come from C. jejuni strains that are more closely related to ST-474. This suggests that the rates of recombination and mutation are similar in order of magnitude, but that recombination has been much more important for generating divergence between the two ST-474 isolates.     

Use of amplified-fragment length polymorphism to study the ecology of Campylobacter jejuni in environmental water and to predict multilocus sequence typing clonal complexes

We determined the genetic variability among water isolates of Campylobacter jejuni by using amplified-fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Across a highly diverse collection of isolates, AFLP clusters did not correlate with MLST clonal complexes, suggesting that AFLP is not reliable for deciphering population genetic relationships and may be problematic for larger epidemiologic analyses.