Isolation and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli found in chilled chicken carcasses in the Federal District Region and surrounding areas

Abstract

This study aimed to isolate Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from chilled chicken carcasses marketed in the Federal District Region and surrounding areas, as well as to detect the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance and genes responsible for the same. A total of 105 chilled chicken carcasses were collected, of which 7 (6.67%) were positive for C. jejuni and 4 (3.81%) were positive for C. coli. These results were obtained using both the conventional microbiological isolation method and polymerase chain reaction assays. All of the positive strains were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing for seven antimicrobials. The resistance incidences found in the C. jejuni strains were as follows: 71.43% for tetracycline and nalidixic acid, 42.86% for streptomycin and gentamicin, 57.14% for ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, and 28.57% for chloramphenicol. Among the C. coli strains, 100% were resistant to tetracycline and streptomycin, 75% were resistant to erythromycin, 50% were resistant to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and nalidixic acid, and no strains were resistant to chloramphenicol. While analyzing the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in the isolated C. jejuni strains, the aph3-1 (resistance to aminoglycosides), aadE (resistance to streptomycin), and tet(O) (resistance to tetracycline) genes were identified, with occurrence rates of 57.14%, 28.57%, and 42.86%, respectively, whereas in the C. coli strains, there was a 25% occurrence rate for both the aph3-1 and tet(O) genes. The aadE gene was not found in the C. coli isolates. The results of this study demonstrated the presence of C. jejuni and C. coli in chilled chicken carcasses marketed in the Federal District Region and surrounding areas, as well as the antimicrobial resistance and the presence of resistance genes in these bacteria, which may pose threats to public health.