Characterization of campylobacter jejuni and campylobacter coli isolated from waste water

Summary The raw sewage samples of the investigated municipal sewage plant (sewage flow of about 30,000 m 3 /d) contained about 10 3 campylobacters/100 ml. The sewage plant reduced 80.8% of organic wastes (COD), 85.0% of colony counts (20 °C), 92.5% of total coliforms and 88.0% of Campylobacters. The sewage plant effluent contained an average of 1.3 × 10 2 campylobacters/100 ml. About 10 10 Campylobacters are discharged with the effluent of the high-output sewage plant into the receiving water every day. No reduction of the indicator bacteria was found in the activated sludge tank, there was, however, a significant reduction (94.5%) of Campylobacters. In total, 94 strains were differentiated by biotyping and serotyping. 59.6% were found to be Campylobacter jejuni and 40.4% were Campylobacter coli . 8 Serotypes were found among the C. jejuni strains and 12 among C. coli . The raw sewage of the investigated oxidation pond treatment plant contained an average of 51 campylobacters/100 ml. The sewage plant effluent did not show Campylobacters in any case.