Reverse transcriptase real-time PCR for detection and quantification of viable Campylobacter jejuni directly from poultry faecal samples

Campylobacter spp. is the most common cause of bacterial diarrhoea in humans worldwide. Therefore, rapid and reliable methods for detection and quantification of this pathogen are required. In this study, we have developed a reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) for detection and quantification of viable Campylobacter jejuni directly from chicken faecal samples. The results of this method and a DNA-based quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method were compared with those of a bacterial culture method. Using bacterial culture and RT-qPCR methods, viable C. jejuni cells could be detected for up to 5 days in both the C. jejuni spiked and the naturally contaminated faecal samples. We found that no RT-qPCR signals were obtained when viable C. jejuni cells could not be counted by the culture method. In contrast, using a DNA-based qPCR method, dead or non-viable Campylobacter cells were detected, and all tested samples were positive, even after 20 days of storage. The developed method for detection and quantification of viable C. jejuni cells directly from chicken faecal samples can be used for further research on the survival of Campylobacter in the environment.