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BOVINE genital campylobacteriosis, caused by Campylobacter fetus subspecies venerealis (C venerealis ), is a major cause of abortion and infertility in cattle ( BonDurant 2005 ). Accurate diagnosis is necessary to avoid the spread of the disease and consequent economic losses, which can be large ( McMillen and others 2006 ). The isolation of Campylobacter species is difficult because of their limited viability outside the host, due to the temperature, nutritional and atmospheric requirements of the organisms ( Smibert 1978 ). The development of Lander's transport medium ( Lander 1990a ), a transport medium recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (2008) , has overcome some of these problems, but the medium contains highly toxic compounds and blood, which inhibits PCR ( Rådström and others 2004 ). This short communication describes another medium, Thomann transport and enrichment medium (TTE), which has been developed for the enrichment of C venerealis and to allow direct PCR amplification from media if overgrowth with contaminants occurs.
In TTE medium, the Muller-Hinton broth, charcoal and haemolysed horse blood contained in Lander's medium are replaced with nutrient broth. In addition, the concentration of Skirrow antibiotic supplement is lower ( Table 1 ). Lander's medium enriches Campylobacter species but also supports the growth of contaminants that can inhibit the detection of C venerealis when present in high numbers; it also contains the toxic antifungal agents cycloheximide and 5-fluorouracil ( Lander 1990a , 1990b ). TTE medium contains nutrient broth to enrich bacteria, and amphotericin B (toxicity class Xn) instead of cycloheximide (toxicity class T+, N) as a fungicide ( Martin and others 2002 ).
C venerealis NCTC 10354 could be recovered after eight days' incubation at 8°C, 25°C and 37°C in TTE medium. Using Lander's medium,...