Use of tri-gas incubator for routine culture of Campylobacter species from fecal specimens.

We evaluated a tri-gas incubator for Campylobacter isolation to be used instead of an anaerobic jar. Fecal specimens were cultured in duplicate onto charcoal selective medium and incubated at 43 degrees C for 48 h in two different environments: a tri-gas incubator (Forma Scientific) adjusted to provide an atmosphere of 10% CO2, 10% O2, and the balance N2; and evacuated anaerobic jars with a replacement gas mixture of 10% CO2, 5% O2, and 85% N2. A total of 106 Campylobacter jejuni and 8 Campylobacter coli isolates were obtained from 2,348 stool specimens. Of the positive specimens, 113 isolates came from the incubator and 111 isolates came from the anaerobic jars. An additional 32 previously positive specimens were replated onto charcoal selective medium and retested by both methods. We recovered 27 C. jejuni isolates, 26 isolates by each method. The isolates from the incubator typically produced discrete colonies, while the isolates from the anaerobic jar showed some degree of swarming in colony formation. The tri-gas incubator provided a cost-effective method for culturing Campylobacter spp.