본 연구는 광주광역시에 유통·판매되고 있는 가금육을 대상으로 식중독 발생 가능성 높은 캠필로박터균의 검출 여부와 분리된 균주의 항생제 내성 및 유전적 특성을 조 사하였다. 전체 307건의 가금육(닭 223건, 오리84건) 중 111건에서 캠필로박터균이 검출(36.2%)되었고 116균주 (Campylobacter jejuni 102균주, Campylobacter coli 14균 주)를 분리하였다. 가금류별 캠필로박터균 검출률은 닭고 기 26.0%, 오리고기 63.1% 이었고, 5건(닭 1건, 오리 4 건)의 시료에서 Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli 가 동시에 검출되었다. 분리된 균주의 항생제 내성 시험 결과 99균주(85.3%)는 1가지 이상의 항생제에 대하여 내 성을 보였다. 그 중 ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid에 내성 을 보이는 균주가 각각 98균주(84.5%), 96균주(82.8%)로 가장 많았고, 그 외에 tetracycline (44.0%), gentamicin (2.6%)에 내성을 나타냈다. 분리된 균주의 혈청형 확인 결과, HS2형 20균주, HS15형 11균주, HS19형 9균주, HS8 형 8균주 등이 확인 되었고, HS42형, HS6형, HS53형, HS4A형, HS5형, HS18형, HS12형, HS27형 그리고 HS37 형이 확인 되었다. 따라서 조리 가공 시 교차오염이 발 생하지 않도록 조리기구 등에 대한 위생적 관리와 충분 한 가열 조리 등의 식중독 예방을 위한 주의가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis and autoimmune polyradiculoneuropathy. Campylobacter jejuni is the most commonly identified infectious trigger for GBS. A sialic-acid containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Campylobacter is thought to be involved in the triggering of GBS. The galE (UDPgalactoset- epimerase) gene of Campylobacter spp. is involved in the synthesis of LPS. In this study, we detected the galE gene in Campylobacter spp. responsible for triggering the onset of GBS. The PCR assay detected the presence of the gene in 14 of the 25 (56%) Campylobacter isolates from domestic chicken, 20 of the 28 (71.4%) Campylobacter isolates from imported chicken and 50 of the 51 (98%) Campylobacter isolates from human clinical samples. Also, the specific 497-bp region of galE sequence in Campylobacters responsible for triggering the onset of GBS was amplified from GBS patient. These results could provide evidence of the first GBS-related C. jejuni infection in Korea.

Campylobacter spp. isolated and identified from the raw chicken carcasses in food service, were characterized. Total bacterial counts on the skins of raw chicken were 10 ⁴-10^6 CFU/g and a total of 205 strains were primarily isolated after enrichment culture and selective culture of the sample with candle and microaerophilic chamber method. Among them, twenty eight strains of Gram-negative, catalase-positive and oxidase-positive were further isolated by the determination of biochemical characteristics. Only sixteen strains of them were finally identified as Campylobacter with PCR of pA and pB primers. Nine strains, more than half of them, have grown at 42℃ and 25℃ and seven strains defined as thermophilic Campylobacter grew not at 25℃, but at 42℃. Therefore, more careful management of food safety for raw chicken is needed in food service. Particularly, we should concern the raw chicken carcasses with high bacteria contamination, more them 10^5CFU/g, which possibly includes Campylobacter spp. grown at low temperature.