Antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmids in Campylobacter jejuni from broiler production chain in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni is the main cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans throughout the world. Besides impairing the treatment of campylobacteriosis, the presence of resistant C. jejuni isolates in the food production chain raises a concern to human health. The aims of this study were to perform the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antimicrobial resistance in C. jejuni isolates from broiler production chain in Southern Brazil, as well as to verify the presence of plasmids among the isolates. In this study, 82.2% of C. jejuni isolates presented resistance to at least one antimicrobial tested, and 46.4% were multidrug resistant. The cmeB and cmeG genes, which encode to multidrug efflux pumps, were reported in 91.3% of the resistant isolates. The tet(O) gene was found in 81.2% of the tetracycline-resistant isolates. All the isolates with phenotypic resistance to kanamycin were positive for the presence of the aphA-3 gene. Regarding the β-lactams, the blaoxa-61 gene was present in 66.7% of the ampicillin-resistant isolates. Thus, the high rates of antimicrobial resistance and the presence of plasmids harboring antimicrobial resistance genes found in C. jejuni isolates highlights the importance of a prudent and judicious use of antimicrobial agents in animal production in Brazil.