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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #91844
Title: ISOLATION OF ARCOBACTER SPP. FROM GROUND WATER

Author
item RICE, E - ENVIRON PROTECTION AGENCY
item RODGERS, M - ENVIRON PROTECTION AGENCY
item WESLEY, IRENE
item JOHNSON, C - ENVIRON PROTECTION AGENCY
item TANNER, S - ID DEPT HEALTH & WELFARE

Submitted to: Letters in Applied Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/23/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Arcobacter butzleri is a newly described microbe that is found in healthy livestock and causes human illness. Drinking contaminated water has been cited as a major risk factor in getting diarrhea due to these microbes. Arcobacter sp. may be more common in developing countries with poor water chlorination systems. A recent outbreak of diarrhea in a youth camp in the U.S. was traced to contaminated water. Arcobacter was isolated from the suspected well. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of Arcobacter to routine chlorination procedures. Arcobacter was killed by chlorine treatments used in the U.S. This information should be useful to scientists who are studying waterborne outbreaks.

Technical Abstract: Arcobacter butzleri was isolated from a contaminated ground water source. These organisms, previously designated as aerotolerant Campylobacter, were capable of surviving in the ground water environment. Specific DNA probes were used to characterize the isolates in the initial identification and survival studies. The organisms were found to be sensitive to chlorine inactivation.