Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. strains isolated from slaughter animals and humans

A total of 71 broilers, 174 pigs, and 277 cattle were examined in a slaughterhouse. Samples of the contents of the small intestines and swabs from carcass surfaces were collected. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from the intestinal contents of 100% of poultry, 51.1% of swine, and 36.4% of cattle. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. was confirmed in 91.5%, 29.8%, and 10.5% of swab samples, respectively. In the case of humans with gastrointestinal symptoms, Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 46 out of 1347 (3.4%) fecal samples. The majority of isolates from humans, poultry, and cattle were identified as C. jejuni, whereas swine isolates were mainly positive for C. coli. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by the disc diffusion method. Antibiotic profiling showed that Campylobacter strains isolated from humans and animals were most frequently resistant to quinolones and fluoroquinolones. Ciprofloxacin susceptibility was found in 35.5% of poultry isolates, 38.3% of swine isolates, 46.1% of cattle isolates, and 41.3% of human isolates. The rates of susceptibility to nalidixic acid in these isolates amounted respectively to 25.9%, 48.2%, 40.0%, and 36.9%. These findings indicate that the above-mentioned groups of antibiotics should not be recommended against Campylobacter infection in Poland. In contrast, susceptibility to erythromycin was observed in 100% of cattle isolates and 91.3% of human isolates. Gentamicin was effective in 100% of swine and poultry isolates, 94.6% of cattle isolates, and 89.1%, of human isolates. These results prove the usefulness of erythromycin and gentamicin in the treatment of campylobacteriosis.