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Title: GROWTH OF CAMPYLOBACTER AND OTHER BACTERIA UNDER VARIOUS ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS

Author
item ANCRUM, DANNA - VOORHEES COLLEGE
item Hinton Jr, Arthur
item Ingram, Kimberly

Submitted to: Undergraduate Research Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2004
Publication Date: 10/1/2004
Citation: Ancrum, D.D., Hinton Jr, A., Ingram, K.D. 2004. Growth of campylobacter and other bacteria under various atmospheric conditions [abstract]. XV Undergraduate Research Symposium. San Juan,Puerto Rico.

Interpretive Summary: Experiments were conducted to examine the ability of Campylobacter and other bacteria to grow under various environmental conditions. First, the ability of cultures of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium perfringens, and Campylobacter jejuni to grow in normal breathing air, air containing reduced amounts oxygen, and air containing no oxygen was determined. Additionally, growth of Campylobacter in reduced oxygen atmospheres created in GasPak jars or the MAC VA-500 chamber was evaluated. Results indicated that P. aeruginosa grew in normal breathing air and in air containing reduced concentrations of oxygen; Clostridium grew in air containing reduced concentrations of oxygen and in air containing no oxygen; E. coli grew under all atmospheric conditions; and Campylobacter grew only in air containing reduced concentrations of oxygen. More Campylobacter were recovered from cultures incubated in the MAC VA-500 systems than from cultures incubated in GasPak jars. Findings indicated that different concentrations of oxygen in air can effect bacterial growth.

Technical Abstract: Experiments were conducted to examine the ability of Campylobacter sp. and other bacteria to grow under various environmental conditions. Gram stains of cultures of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni PPMQ 3B, Campylobacter coli ATCC 33559, and Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 33560 were examined microscopically. Cultures of each isolate were streaked on Blood Agar and incubated for 48 h at 35-37 degrees C under aerobic, anaerobic, or microaerophilic conditions. The amount of growth of the bacteria under each atmosphere was examined. The growth of each Campylobacter isolate in Mueller-Hinton medium incubated in BBL GasPak jars or the MAC VA-500 chamber was also evaluated. Results indicated that P. aeruginosa was able to grow aerobically and microaerophilically, C. perfringens was able to grown anaerobically and microaerophilically, E. coli was able to grown under all atmospheric conditions, and Campylobacter isolates were only able to grow under microaerophilically. More Campylobacter were recovered from cultures incubated in the MAC VA-500 than from cultures incubated in BBL GasPaks. Findings showed that atmospheric conditions can have an effect on bacterial growth.