Incidence of toxigenic Campylobacter strains in South Africa

Abstract

Campylobacter strains can produce a heat-labile cytotonic toxin (CTON) and various cytotoxins (CTOX). Of 22 South African Campylobacter strains tested, 86% were toxigenic (77% produced CTON, 41% produced CTOX, and 32% produced both types) and 14% were toxin negative. Campylobacter jejuni strains were 67% CTON positive and 47% CTOX positive, whereas Campylobacter coli strains were 100 and 29% positive, respectively.