The application of a transport and enrichment medium to the diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus infections in bulls

The use of a transport and enrichment medium (TEM) in the diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus infections in bulls is described. The medium significantly improved the diagnosis rate in samples which, because of the length of time between collection and receipt at the laboratory, were unsuitable for processing by direct culture. The TEM was able to support the viability, and subsequent multiplication, of C. fetus in some samples for up to 7 days before the TEM was incubated. The submission of paired samples of TEM, one containing unfiltered preputial washing (PW) and the other containing PW filtered through a 0.60 micron cellulose acetate filter, significantly increased the accuracy of diagnosis.