Abstract
Thermophilic Campylobacters are zoonotic bacteria which are universally famous for causing enteritis in humans. They are normally found as commensals in the digestive tract of food animals with poultry being a major reservoir of the pathogenic species. This study highlighted the presence of Campylobacter in poultry (commercial and domestic) and humans (patients and asymptomatic individuals) and characterized strains by biotyping and susceptibility test in the Northern region of Ghana where animal husbandry is commonly practiced but zoonotic studies are limited. A total of 1087 specimens from stools of humans and cloacal swabs of poultry were screened from 25th October, 2017 to 7th May, 2019. Samples were cultured on modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar and isolates identified using standard microbiological procedures and Lior Biotyping, while the antibiogram of isolates was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The frequency of Campylobacter was 43.1% and 12.9% respectively in poultry and humans. Campylobacter jejuni were recovered from 84% of commercial birds and 64% of domestic birds and in humans significantly fewer strains were observed in patients than asymptomatic individuals (p 0.05). Biotype distribution revealed C. jejuni biotype I prevalence in domestic birds, patients and asymptomatic individuals whereas Bioytype II was largely found in commercial poultry. All isolated strains of Campylobacter were resistant to tetracycline and 69.4% of Campylobacter jejuni strains were resistant to erythromycin. Imipenem and the aminoglycosides were relatively effective as resistance of 10% and below 20% were respectively obtained. None of the endorsed treatment drugs (erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline) can be admitted in this region due to common resistance found among strains against these agents.
Highlights
Campylobacters are gram-negative zoonotic pathogens of global significance, especially the thermophilic species
Campylobacter jejuni were recovered from 84% of commercial birds and 64% of domestic birds and in humans significantly fewer strains were observed in patients than asymptomatic individuals (p < 0.05)
Antimicrobial therapy in campylobacteriosis is generally recommended in severe cases and immune-suppressed individuals in which case macrolides and fluoroquinolones are considered [16]
Summary
Campylobacters are gram-negative zoonotic pathogens of global significance, especially the thermophilic species. Of the three species (jejuni, coli, lari), Campylobacter jejuni is vital and liable for colonic colonization in poultry and food-borne enteritis in humans. Consumers of undercooked poultry meat and products may be at risk of campylobacteriosis which is a major cause of human enteritis [2]. The importance of campylobacteriosis as a foodborne pathogen is established by surveillance studies reporting 15,918 hospitalizations in the UK [3], 2,000,507 cases in the European Union [4] and an incidence of 12.71 cases per 100.000 inhabitants in the USA [5]. Inadequate systematic investigations to detect outbreaks whose strains could serve as a basis for source attribution and risk assessment make it hard to establish factual incidence of the infection in developing countries [6]. The degree to which poultry intake is responsible for human infections is not precisely known [10]
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