Abstract
Foodborne Campylobacter infections pose a serious threat to public health worldwide. However, the occurrence and characteristics of Campylobacter in food animals and products remain largely unknown in Tanzania. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, antibiotic resistance, and genetic profiles (sequence types, STs) of Campylobacter isolated from feces of pigs and dairy and beef cattle in Tanzania. Overall, 259 (~30%) of 864 samples were positive for Campylobacter spp, which were detected in 32.5, 35.4, and 19.6% of the pig, dairy, and beef cattle samples, respectively. Multiplex PCR analysis identified 64.5 and 29.3% of the Campylobacter isolates as C. coli and C. jejuni, respectively. The majority (91.9%) of the isolates from pig samples were identified as C. coli, while C. jejuni accounted for 65.5% of the isolates from cattle. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the disk diffusion assay and the broth microdilution method revealed resistance to: ampicillin (Amp) (70.3% and 75.7%, respectively), gentamicin (Gen) (1.8% and 12.6%), streptomycin (Str) (65.8 and 74.8%), erythromycin (Ery) (41.4 and 48.7%), tetracycline (Tet) (18.9 and 23.4%), and ciprofloxacin (Cip) (14.4 and 7.2%). Resistance to nalidixic acid (Nal) (39.6%), azithromycin (Azm) (13.5%), and chloramphenicol (Chl) (4.5%) was determined using the disk diffusion assay only, while resistance to tylosin (Tyl) (38.7%) was quantified using the broth microdilution method. Multilocus sequence typing of 111 Campylobacter isolates resulted in the identification of 48 STs (26 C. jejuni and 22 C. coli) of which seven were novel (six C. jejuni and one C. coli). Taken together, this study revealed the high prevalence, genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in important food animals in Tanzania, which highlights the urgent need for the surveillance and control of Campylobacter in this country.
Highlights
Campylobacter spp. are among the most common etiological agents of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide, accounting for an estimated 500 million infections per year globally (Ruiz-Palacios, 2007; WHO, 2013)
The number of reported cases of campylobacteriosis is high in developed countries (Scallan et al, 2011; EFSA and ECDC, 2014), while the disease remains under reported in developing countries due to the absence of regular surveillance programs (Coker et al, 2002)
In this study, we investigated the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and genetic diversity of Campylobacter isolated from pigs, dairy, and beef cattle from three different geographical regions in Tanzania
Summary
Campylobacter spp. are among the most common etiological agents of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis in humans worldwide, accounting for an estimated 500 million infections per year globally (Ruiz-Palacios, 2007; WHO, 2013). The number of reported cases of campylobacteriosis is high in developed countries (Scallan et al, 2011; EFSA and ECDC, 2014), while the disease remains under reported in developing countries due to the absence of regular surveillance programs (Coker et al, 2002). Campylobacter is increasingly becoming a major problem in Sub-Sahara Africa where the number of infections is predicted to double by the year 2020 (Coker et al, 2002). Deficiencies in food safety regulations and limited epidemiological data in many African countries, including Tanzania, hamper the assessment, surveillance, and control of Campylobacter infections. In these countries, studies that address the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in food animals are of paramount importance
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