Colony multiplex PCR assay for identification and differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni, C-coli, C-lari, C-upsaliensis, and C-fetus subsp fetus

A multiplex PCR assay was used to simultaneously detect genes from the five major clinically relevant Campylobacter spp. Those genes selected were hipO and 23S rRNA from Campylobacter jejuni; glyA from each of C. coli, C. lari, and C. upsaliensis; and sapB2 from C.fetus subsp.fetus. The assay was evaluated with 137 clinical and environmental isolates and was found to be rapid and easy to perform and had a high sensitivity and specificity for characterizing isolates, even in mixed cultures.