Culturability, injury and morphological dynamics of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. within a laboratory-based aquatic model system

Aims: To study the survival processes of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. within a modelled aquatic system and particularly the involvement and survival potential of viable but non-culturable forms. Methods and Results: The survival and morphological characteristics of populations of thermophilic Campylobacter species exposed to simulated aquatic conditions were examined using a combination of cultural and microscopic techniques. Populations underwent progressive decay when exposed to simulated aquatic conditions. The rates of population decay were observed to be significantly greater at the higher temperature (20°C) with a rapid transition of the dominant sub-populations from non-stressed to dead cells occurred within 3 days. At 10°C the rate of culturability loss was much reduced with substantial development (approx. 80% of total population) of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) populations by all species within 3 days, declining to represent approximately 5–25% of the total population at day 60. Significant differences (P