Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Diarrheic Sheep

Abstract

One of the important agents causing gastroenteritis worldwide is Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni). The current study aimed to detect five virulence genes (flaA, virB11, ciaB, iam, and dnaJ) and two antibiotic resistance genes (gyrA and tetO) in C. jejuni obtained from sheep stool. The virulence genes were detected by PCR in 64 C. jejuni strains. The phenotypic resistance to five selected antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, Gentamycin, Streptomycin, and Tetracycline) was screened with the microdilution method. The isolates with antibiograms were tested for detection of gyrA and tetO genes via PCR using specific primers. The virulence genes flaA (32%) and dnaJ (29%) had the highest prevalence. The tested isolates of C. jejuni revealed high resistance to both quinolone (68.3%) and tetracycline groups (48.4%) with an increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance of gyrA and tetO genes. Gentamycin and erythromycin offered better alternative drugs for the treatment of campylobacteriosis. To generalize the findings, extensive profiling that involves more virulence genes is required in several strains of Campylobacter.