Abstract
Salmonella and Campylobacter are important gastroenteric pathogens. Arcobacter butzleri is an emerging enteric pathogen. Data on the frequencies of these poultry-associated pathogens on meat products sold in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. This study aimed to analyze the frequency of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Arcobacter antibiotic resistance and underlying mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolones in locally produced and imported poultry sold in urban Ghana. Chicken meat was collected and cultured on standard media. Bacterial strains were identified by biochemical methods and by mass spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion. Ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were assessed for molecular mechanisms of resistance. Among 200 samples, comprising 34% (n = 68) from the Ghanaian poultry industry and 66% (n = 132) from imports, 9% (n = 17) contained Salmonella, 11% (n = 22) Campylobacter, and 26.5% (n = 53) A. butzleri. Higher overall contamination frequencies were found in local meat. Most common Salmonella serovars identified were Kentucky (n/N = 5/16; 31%) and Poona (n/N = 4/16; 25%). Campylobacter were C. coli (n/N = 10/19; 53%) and C. jejuni (n/N = 9/19; 47%). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was high with 63% (n = 10), 75% (n = 15), and 52% (n = 25) in Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Arcobacter, respectively. A link between Salmonella Kentucky [sequence type (ST) 198] and a ciprofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration of 16 μg/mL was found. Salmonella Poona-ST308 revealed transferable qnrB2 fluoroquinolone resistance genes. Markedly high frequencies of resistant Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Arcobacter predominant in locally produced meat represent a probable transmission reservoir for human infections. These findings highlight the need for implementation of surveillance systems that focus on food hygiene, use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, and continuous monitoring of the quality of meat products from imports.
Highlights
1 in 10 child deaths during the first 5 years of life results from diarrheal disease, causing *800,000 fatalities worldwide annually, most occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (Kotloff et al, 2017)
This study aimed to analyze the frequency of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Arcobacter antibiotic resistance and underlying mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolones in locally produced and imported poultry sold in urban Ghana
This study aimed to investigate and compare the frequency of Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter spp., and Arcobacter spp. in imported and locally produced poultry sold in urban Ghana
Summary
1 in 10 child deaths during the first 5 years of life results from diarrheal disease, causing *800,000 fatalities worldwide annually, most occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (Kotloff et al, 2017). Campylobacter and nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) are among the leading bacterial pathogens isolated from patients with diarrhea in both developed and developing countries (Krumkamp et al, 2015) These pathogens are predominantly transmitted through food products, with poultry meat being identified as one of the major reservoirs (Geilhausen et al., 1996). The steadily increasing global trade of meat products between developing and industrialized countries bears the risk of spreading the animal-associated pathogens across different countries and continents. This threat is mainly a problem in countries without surveillance systems where pathogens can be imported or exported undetected. A high risk is posed to SSA regions, where data on the frequency of the bacteria in both locally produced and imported poultry are scarce and poorly monitored
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