Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern ofCampylobacterspecies among poultry and poultry handlers of Jammu

Abstract

Campylobacter is one of the emerging zoonotic pathogens with poultry and their products serving as an important source of human infections. The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of Campylobacter species among poultry and poultry handlers of R.S. Pura, Jammu and their antibiogram pattern. A total of 177 samples from poultry (n = 167) and poultry handlers (n = 10) were examined and 39 samples were found positive for Campylobacter species (32 C. jejuni, 6 C. coli and 1 C. lari). The prevalence of Campylobacter was 40.3, 13.2, 7.7 and 30.0% in poultry faeces, poultry meat, poultry carcass swabs and poultry handlers, respectively. Antimicrobial resistance pattern of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates was studied against nine antibiotics. Multidrug resistance among the isolates was found against ampicillin, metronidazole and cepholathin while high sensitivity was observed towards gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, furazolidone and tetracycline. The results of the present study indicate high prevalence of Campylobacter both in poultry and poultry handlers with varying in vitro sensitivity to different antibiotics. The outcome enunciates that appropriate control measures ensuring safety of poultry products and human health need to be devised.