Antibiotic susceptibility profiling and virulence potential ofCampylobacter jejuni isolates from different sources in Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Objective:To determine antibiotic resistance patterns and virulence potential ofCampylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) isolates from clinical human diarrheal infections, cattle and healthy broilers. Methods:Antibiotic sensitivity patterns ofC. jejuni isolates were determined by Kirby Bauer Disc Diffusion assay. These isolates were then subjected to virulence profiling for the detection ofmapA (membrane-associated protein),cadF (fibronectin binding protein),wlaN (beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase) andneuAB (sialic acid biosynthesis gene). FurtherC. jejuni isolates were grouped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiling.Results: A total of 436 samples from poultry (n=88), cattle (n=216) and humans (n=132) from different locations were collected. Results revealed percentage ofC. jejuni isolates were 35.2% (31/88), 25.0% (54/216) and 11.3% (15/132) among poultry, cattle and clinical human samples respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility results showed that similar resistance patterns to cephalothin was ie. 87.0%, 87.1% and 89%among humans, poultry and cattle respectively, followed by sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim 40.0%, 38.7% and 31.0% in humans, poultry and cattle and Ampicillin 40%, 32% and 20% in humans, poultry and cattle respectively. Beta-lactamase activity was detected in 40.00% humans, 20.37% cattle and 32.25% in poultryC. jejuni isolates. CadF andmapA were present in all poultry, cattle and humanC. jejuni isolates,wlaN was not detected in any isolate andneuAB was found in 9/31 (36%) poultry isolates. RAPD profiling results suggested high diversity ofC. jejuni isolates.Conclusions:Detection of multidrug resistantC. jejuni strains from poultry and cattle is alarming as they can be potential hazard to humans. Moreover, predominant association of virulence factors,cadF andmapA (100 % each) inC. jejuni isolates from all sources andneuAB (36%) with poultry isolates suggest the potential source of transmission of diverse types ofC. jejuni to humans.