Monitoring sand and sea water of the Mediterranean Tel Aviv beaches during 1989-1991 for bacterial quality showed varying data and no correlation between standard bacteria parameters (SBP) and potential pathogenic bacteria (PPB). An exceptional feature was observed in 1989 when faecal coliforms including Escherichia coli and faecal Streptococcus were less in sand than in sea water. These results may be attributed to the low turbulent activity of the sea in 1989, particularly in summer, compared with the next two years. In 1990 the number of SBP and PPB was always higher in sand than in sea water. The most frequent micro-organisms isolated from sand were E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Intensive engineering work and the construction of a chlorinator for sewage probably caused a dramatic drop in the number of SBP and PPB in sea water and sand during 1990-1991 on some beaches. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from sand, and may be considered a possible hazard factor for enteritis in the population bathing at these beaches.

A medium for storage and transportation of thermophilic campylobacter cultures was developed. The medium contains brucella broth with 0.16 % or 0.3 % agar, 5 % human blood, a growth supplement which enhances aerotolerance and an antibiotic supplement. Using this medium all cultures tested were recovered after 48 days at 4 °C, 56 days at 37 °C and 32 days at room temperature. Some of the cultures even remained viable for up to three months at 4 °C and 56 days at room temperature. The blackening of the medium by H2S positive cultures offers an indication as to the biotype.

SUMMARY The distribution of serogroups of thermophilic campylobacters isolated in Israel from human patients (2421 isolates), chicken (942), turkeys (158), cattle (398), wild birds (234) and other sources, was studied. Among the human isolates, 74 ROG-serogroups were identified. The six most commonly isolated of these (1,18; 11; 12; 8,23; 4 and 5,39) were found frequently in chickens. Only four common serogroups in man were also common in cattle, three in turkeys and two in wild birds. Two common serogroups in man (1,18 and 5,39) were prevalent all over the country, while others were regionally distributed. When the prevalence of different serogroups in Israel was compared to that in Canada, some groups were common to both countries and others were common in only one or the other. Campylobacter jejuni accounted for 86·7% to 92·1% of the isolates from man, chickens, turkeys, cattle and most of the wild birds. C. coli was found in 34·4% of isolates from cattle egrets and in 70·5% of those from pigs.

Chicken carcasses and water samples were tested for contamination with Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli at a water-immersion stage in a kosher poultry processing factory. Among the wide variety of serogroups found on carcasses and water samples, only serogroups #2, #11 and #12 ranked among those most frequently isolated in Israel from humans.

The incidence of Campylobacter jejuni/coli was examined in five flocks of broilers monitored from hatch to slaughter, in feed and water and in litter samples. A total of 1440 samples from 720 broilers was examined. Campylobacter spp. were not isolated from broiler chicks at 1 day of age and were only isolated from one broiler chick in one flock at 1 week of age. In three flocks Campylobacter spp. were isolated from all chicks sampled at 4 weeks of age. In the fourth flock all chicks sampled were negative until 8 weeks of age when all were positive. The fifth flock remained negative throughout the 8 weeks of its life. Campylobacter spp. were not found in 20 samples of food and water. Of 20 litter samples they were found in only two. Eleven broiler flocks were examined only at slaughter. Twenty-four caecal samples were examined from each flock. In three flocks no Campylobacter spp. were isolated, in one flock one broiler chick was positive and in seven flocks from 58% to 100% of sampled broilers were positive. A total of 146 isolates was typed; 123 were C. jejuni and 23 C. coli, these belonged to 46 serotypes. In some flocks several serotypes were identified, some of them were not found again on further examinations of the same flocks during the growing period.

Samples of chicken meat, swabs of food handlers and the environment and washing water, collected from various stages of processing and distribution of chicken meat, were examined for contamination with Campylobacter jejuni/coli. From ninety two samples C. jejuni/coli was isolated. The percentage of contamination was highest in the chicken abattoir and lowest in markets or restaurants. The isolates belonged to 27 serogroups, of which serogroup 11 was the most common. This serogroup is also the one found most frequently in human cases of campylobacteriosis in Israel. Some of the other serogroups found have only very rarely or have never been isolated from humans in this country.