Arcobacter: An Overview

Introduction The genus Arcobacter (Latin, arc-shaped bacterium) includes bacteria formerly designated Campylobacter cryaerophila (Latin; loving cold and air). They are fastidious, microaerophilic, gram-negative, spiral-shapedbacteria that are motile by means of polar flagella. Arcobacter was first isolated by Ellis et al (6) in 1977 from aborted bovine and later from porcine fetuses. Unlike other Campylobacter species, Arcobacter grows in the presence of atmospheric oxygen (aerotolerant) and at 15°/C, which is lower than temperatures used for incubation of Campylobacter (21,22). Arcobacter spp. have been associated with cases of human enteritis and septicemia (12, 13, 27, 28, 29,30); enteritis and abortion occur in livestock (6,21,22,23,24). Arcobacter spp. have been found in water, cattle, swine, poultry, and in ground pork and turkey products. Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of human bacterial enteritis. Because of their phylogenetic similarity, the pathogenesis, distribution and routes of transmission that have been described for C. jejuni may be applicable to Arcobacter. Transmission of C. jejuni to humans occurs via consumption of contaminated undercooked poultry, water, raw milk, milk that has been contaminated after pasteurization, shellfish, and meat. Three species of Arcobacter have been recovered from man and animals: A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, and A. skirrowii (31,32). Of these, A. butzleri is regarded as the primary human pathogen (12). Herein we provide a review of Arcobacter and address the possibility of considering Arcobacter spp., especially A. butzleri, as emerging foodborne pathogens.