Detection of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni in Fecal Samples From Domestics and Livestock Employees

Background: Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are two zoonotic pathogens that commonly colonize the digestive tract of animal sources, including poultry, dogs, cats, and other various domestic farm animals. Colonization can lead to acute bacterial gastroenteritis in humans after close contact with animals or through the consumption of contaminated food or water. Objective: The present study aimed to detect and identify these bacteria in the fecal samples of domestic and livestock employees. Materials and Methods: A total of 96 samples were collected, including 48 sheep faces and 48 livestock workers’ stool samples. DNA was extracted from the samples, and the presence of Campylobacter species was investigated by the polymerase chain reaction due to the detection of specific marker genes. Results: Based on the PCR on hippuricase gene (hipO) and aspartokinase gene (asp), C. jejuni was found in 7 (7.3%) and C. coli in 4 (4.2%) of 96 isolates. Analysis of nucleotide sequences of PCR amolicons showed the genetic similarity of isolates from a common livestock center. Conclusion: Direct animal-to-human contamination seems unlikely. However, the contamination of farm water sources and sheep products with Campylobacter species can be a potential risk to human health.