Restriction fragment length polymorphism of flagellin genes of Campylobacter jejuni and/or C. coli isolates from Egypt.

The conservation of flagellin genes from thermophilic Campylobacter spp. strains isolated in Egypt was evaluated by a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. The flaA and flaB genes were amplified from 59 independent clinical isolates and digested with EcoRI and PstI, and the resulting patterns were compared with each other and with previously described RFLP groups. The results indicate that the isolates fell into 14 groups for flaA and 11 groups for flaB, 9 of which have been described, and that considerable genetic variability exists among isolates belonging to the same LIO serogroup. In most cases, the flaB gene displayed the same RFLP pattern as that of the flaA gene of the same strain, although some variability was observed. The data suggest that more variability of flagellin genes exists within the LIO serogroups common to Campylobacter field isolates from Egypt than has previously been reported for North American isolates.