Detection of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. in the aquatic environment of seals

GOLDMAN CG; LOUREIRO JD; MATTEO M; CATTALANO M; DEGROSSI J; TEVES S; RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA S; ALVAREZ K; BELTRÁN GONZÁLEZ A; BOCCIO J; CREMASCHI G; ZUBILLAGA MB

Rotterdam, Holanda.

Workshop; 14th International Workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms; 2007

Introduction: We have previously reported Helicobacter and Campylobacter species from dental plaque (DP) and gastric fluid (GF) of seals living in a controlled environment. In order to evaluate the possible role of water in bacterial transmission among seals, we have investigated the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. in the aquatic environment of these mammals. Methods: For water sample collection, we selected three pools inhabited by seals that have been trained to obtain clinical samples. Two of the pools were inhabited by sea lions (O.flavescens) and the other one was inhabited by an elephant seal (M.leonina). Water samples were filtrated by 0,45 µm sterile membranes for further analysis. DP and GF were collected from the seals included in this study. All the samples were studied by PCR and culture for the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. Two sets of primers were designed to amplify 16SrRNA Helicobacter and Campylobacter specific fragments. Culture was performed on selective and non selective media. All water samples resulted positive for PCR amplification and negative for culture. Helicobacter positive results were obtained from a pool inhabited by a GF Helicobacter and DP Campylobacter positive sea lion. A Campylobacter positive result was obtained from the pool inhabited by an elephant seal which was positive for Campylobacter in GF and DP samples. Conclusions: The findings of bacterial DNA in the seals aquatic environment indicate that transmission might occur among the animals. Unsuccessful culture from clinical samples could be linked to the fastidious growing characteristics of these bacteria; however, negative culture results from water could be linked to the existence of a viable but non culturable bacteria state. rRNA sequence analysis should be performed to correlate water results with bacterial species fun in the seals.