engleski

Stress Response and Virulence of Heat-Stressed Campylobacter jejuni

Thermotolerant campylobacters frequently cause bacterial gastroenteritis in humans who are usually infected through consumption of undercooked poultry meat.We examined Campylobacter jejuni heat-stress responses in vitro, after exposure to 48°C and 55°C. Also in vivo modulation of its pathogenicity was investigated, using BALB/c mice intravenously infected with stressed C. jejuni. Regardless of the bacterial growth phase, their culturability and viability in vitro was reduced after exposure to 55°C. This correlated with the altered protein profile and decreased virulence properties seen in vivo. Heat stress at 48°C elicited transition to more resistant bacterial forms, independent of morphological changes or appearance of shorter spiral and coccoid cells. This treatment did not cause marked changes in bacterial virulence properties in vivo. The results indicate that C. jejuni characteristics and pathogenicity in response to heat stress differ depending on temperature. Findings relating C. jejuni response to stresses used during food processing, and modulation of virulence are important to provide a better understanding its contamination and infective cycle and thus contribute to improved safety in food production chain.

Campylobacter jejuni ; heat-stress response ; virulence ; food safety

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