Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Thermophilic Campylobacter Spp. (jejuni and coli) Isolated from Beef and Raw Chicken in Tehran

Microbial food safety and food borne pathogens with antibiotic resistance or multidrug resistance is an increasing public health concern worldwide. Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of acute bacterial gastroenteritis in human, especially in children. The objects of our study were to determine the frequency and antibiotic resistance pattern of thermopilic Campylobacter spp. (jejuni and coli) in raw poultry and beef isolates. The samples of raw chicken and beef (packaged and non-packaged) were purchased from the different parts of Tehran and then transferred to laboratory. Specimens were enriched in Preston Broth and cultured on Campylobacter selective agar medium for 48h. After that, suspected colonies isolated and confirmed by standard tests. Antimicrobial sensitivity was carried out using disk diffusion method. Out of 379 samples, Campylobacter spp was identified in 109(28.8%) cases comprising of C.jejuni (76.1%) and C.coli (23.9%). The rate of isolation from chicken (49.7%) was more than that of beef (7.9%). There was a significant correlation between the rate of contamination by Campylobacter and type of meat (P<0.05). 41.8% of packaged and 54.1% of non-packaged (P value = 0.197) chicken samples and 4.5% of packaged and 9.8% of non -packaged beef samples (P value = 0.105) were contaminated with Campylobacter. Among the variety of tested antibiotics, the highest resistance was found for Nalidixic acid (71%) and Ciprofloxacin (46.7%). None of the strains were observed to be resistant to Gentamicin. The high prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni contamination in chicken meat represents the absence of hygiene rules in slaughtering the poultries and transferring process. Isolated strains from meat show increasing susceptibility against Fluroquinolone. The reason of susceptibility increment in isolated Campylobacter strains could be misusage of consumption of antibiotics such as Enrofloxcin in chicken farms. Sensitivity to Gentamicin makes this drug a suitable alternative for treatment of Campylobacter infection.