Abstract
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention identifies antimicrobial resistant (AMR) Campylobacter as a serious threat to U.S. public health due to high community burden, increased transmissibility, and limited treatability. The National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) plays an important role in surveillance of AMR bacterial pathogens in humans, food animals and retail meats. This study investigated C. coli and C. jejuni from live food animals, poultry carcasses at production, and retail meat in North Carolina between January 2018-December 2019. Whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics were used for phenotypic and genotypic characterization to compare AMR profiles, virulence factors associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) (neuABC and cst-II or cst-III), and phylogenic linkage between 541 Campylobacter isolates (C. coli n = 343, C. jejuni n = 198). Overall, 90.4% (489/541) Campylobacter isolates tested positive for AMR genes, while 43% (233/541) carried resistance genes for three or more antibiotic classes and were classified molecularly multidrug resistant. AMR gene frequencies were highest against tetracyclines (64.3%), beta-lactams (63.6%), aminoglycosides (38.6%), macrolides (34.8%), quinolones (24.4%), lincosamides (13.5%), and streptothricins (5%). A total of 57.6% (114/198) C. jejuni carried GBS virulence factors, while three C. coli carried the C. jejuni-like lipooligosaccharide locus, neuABC and cst-II. Further evidence of C. coli and C. jejuni interspecies genomic exchange was observed in identical multilocus sequence typing, shared sequence type (ST) 7818 clonal complex 828, and identical species-indicator genes mapA, ceuE, and hipO. There was a significant increase in novel STs from 2018 to 2019 (2 in 2018 and 21 in 2019, p<0.002), illustrating variable Campylobacter genomes within food animal production. Introgression between C. coli and C. jejuni may aid pathogen adaption, lead to higher AMR and increase Campylobacter persistence in food processing. Future studies should further characterize interspecies gene transfer and evolutionary trends in food animal production to track evolving risks to public health.
Highlights
Campylobacter is a gram-negative commensal bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of multiple wild and domesticated animal species [1]
The main objectives met in this study were to characterize antimicrobial resistant (AMR) phenotypes and genotypes, to evaluate virulence factor distribution associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), to determine the phylogenic linkage, and to assess interspecies genome exchange between the Campylobacter isolates
The results show turkey C. coli isolates were 9 times more likely than C. coli from chicken and 59 times more likely than C. coli from live swine, to contain either mutation which infers potential resistance to macrolide antibiotics [OR 9.2, CI 4.7–17.9 (p
Summary
Campylobacter is a gram-negative commensal bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of multiple wild and domesticated animal species [1]. Decades of antibiotic use in humans, animals, and agriculture have created selection pressures driving the emergence of AMR in many bacterial pathogens and an increase in clinical infections that do not respond to routine medical intervention [5, 15]. Despite recent policy changes and restricted antibiotic use in some countries, drug applications in human and animal populations, environmental contamination, and increased globalization continue to steer selection pressures and foster opportunities for horizontal gene transfer among AMR bacteria [14, 16]. This study compares C. coli and C. jejuni from NARMS isolates in three stages of meat production including, live food animals, poultry carcasses at production, and retail meat sold in grocery stores in North Carolina from 2018 and 2019. The main objectives met in this study were to characterize AMR phenotypes and genotypes, to evaluate virulence factor distribution associated with GBS, to determine the phylogenic linkage, and to assess interspecies genome exchange between the Campylobacter isolates
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
