Genotyping of various Arcobacter species isolated from domestic geese by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to genotype Arcobacter (A.) butzleri, A. cryaerophilus and A. skirrowii isolates from domestic geese from three different flocks in Turkey. Fifteen Arcobacter isolates were analysed to determine the RAPD profiles based on the amplified DNA fragment patterns using a universal primer for genotyping. 7 A. cryaerophilus, 2 A. butzleri and 6 A. skirrowii isolates produced 6, 2 and 3 distinct profiles, respectively. The isolates of the same patterns originated from the same flocks. The findings of the present study may support previous reports of the existence of a large degree of heterogeneity among Arcobacter isolates. Observation of such levels of genetic diversity may suggest that there are multiple contamination sources in the environment and/or the determined genotypes may have undergone genetic rearrangements. This first report of genotyping of various Arcobacter species isolated from healthy geese is expected to improve the understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of this emerging pathogen.