Biotyping of Multidrug Resistant Campylobacter jejuni from Poultry and Humans in Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Thermophilic Campylobacters are zoonotic bacteria which are universally famous for causing enteritis in \nhumans. They are normally found as commensals in the digestive tract of food \nanimals with poultry being a major reservoir \nof the pathogenic species. This study highlighted the presence of Campylobacter in poultry (commercial and \ndomestic) and humans (patients and asymptomatic individuals) and characterized \nstrains by biotyping and susceptibility test in the Northern region of Ghana \nwhere animal husbandry is commonly practiced but zoonotic studies are limited. \nA total of 1087 specimens from stools of humans and cloacal swabs of poultry \nwere screened from 25th October, 2017 to 7th May, 2019. Samples were cultured \non modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar and isolates identified \nusing standard microbiological procedures and Lior Biotyping, while the \nantibiogram of isolates was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The frequency of Campylobacter was 43.1% and 12.9% \nrespectively in poultry and humans. Campylobacter \njejuni were recovered from 84% of commercial birds and 64% of domestic \nbirds and in humans significantly fewer strains were observed in patients than asymptomatic individuals (p 0.05). Biotype \ndistribution revealed C. jejuni biotype \nI prevalence in domestic birds, patients and asymptomatic individuals whereas \nBioytype II was largely found in commercial poultry. All isolated strains of Campylobacter were resistant to \ntetracycline and 69.4% of Campylobacter \njejuni strains were resistant to erythromycin. Imipenem and the \naminoglycosides were relatively effective as resistance of 10% and below 20% \nwere respectively obtained. None of the endorsed treatment drugs (erythromycin, \nciprofloxacin, and tetracycline) can be admitted \nin this region due to common resistance found among strains against \nthese agents.