Campylobacter bacteria are a major cause of foodborne diarrhoeal illness in humans and are the most common bacteria that cause gastroenteritis worldwide. In developed and developing countries, they cause more cases of diarrhoea than foodborne Salmonella. The high incidence of Campylobacter diarrhoea, as well as its duration and possible consequences makes it very important from a socio-economic perspective. In developing countries, Campylobacter infections in children under the age of two years are especially frequent, sometimes resulting in death.

The most common gastrointestinal infections in humans are caused by the Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli species.

Currently screening for Campylobacter is a culture based method using a charcoal-based selective media or a blood containing media. These culture plates are incubated for up to 72 hours and their lack of selectivity allows for the growth of large amounts of other flora. Therefore ISO (10272-1 :2006) requires the use of a second medium to workaround these deficiencies.

CHROMagar™ Campylobacter is a chromogenic medium that is both selective and differential for the isolation of this enteric pathogen. This medium also requires incubation in a microaerophilic atmosphere at 42 °C, however distinct red colonies of Campylobacter will grow after 24 hours and a negative report can be issued after 48 hours incubation rather than 72 hours.

CHROMagar™ Campylobacter medium can decrease the turnaround time from sample to result and therefore significantly improve patient diagnosis and workflow of food testing laboratories.

With CHROMagar™ Campylobacter, no compromises! This medium combines highly specific and easy to read chromogenic technology with an unrivalled growth agar base.

Key Features and Benefits:

• EASY TO READ - 24-48 h incubation at 42 °C. The intense red colored colonies on a translucent agar facilitates the reading compared to charcoal based agar.
   
• HIGH RECOVERY RATE - ~100 % enumerating Campylobacter has never been so simple and so reliable.
   
• HIGHLY SELECTIVE - a greater selectivity results in a very clean plate, even for samples with high background flora.