This document specifies a method for the detection, semi-quantitative and quantitative (MPN) enumeration of thermotolerant Campylobacter species.

The method can be applied to all kinds of waters including: drinking water, ground water and well water, fresh, brackish and saline surface water, swimming pools, spa and hydrotherapy pools, recreational waters, agricultural waters and runoff, untreated and treated wastewater and also sand and other sediments.

This method can be used for the detection of Campylobacter species in a specified sample volume. Clean water samples with low turbidity can be membrane filtered for either a qualitative method, semi-quantitative or quantitative (MPN) method. Water samples with higher turbidity, such as primary and secondary wastewater effluents and sediments, are analysed using the same qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative MPN method by direct inoculation of material into bottles or tubes. Sediments can be suspended in a suitable diluent or inoculated directly into enrichment broths.

Users wishing to employ this method are expected to verify its performance for the particular matrix under their own laboratory conditions.