Genetic detection of Campylobacter lanienae in fecal matter and stored manure from swine and dairy cattle.

Tracking sources of contamination is an issue related to food safety. In a preliminary study conducted to evaluate the distribution of thermophilic Campylobacter in the environment surrounding dairy cattle and swine production, a number of Campylobacter lanienae were directly detected by PCR. The amplicons came from dairy cows and pig fecal samples, as well as from stored manure. DNA sequencing of a 360-bp fragment of C. lanienae 16S rRNA gene was performed. Alignment of sequences confirmed the bacterial identification as sequences shared 99-100% homology with C. lanienae 16S rRNA gene sequences available in GenBank. Interestingly, bioinformatics analyses also revealed two different genetic clusters depending on the animal reservoir. More samples and other molecular techniques need to be tested in order to characterize and evaluate the distribution of this microorganism in the agri-food chain.