Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of thermotolerant Campylobacter strains in retail raw meat products in Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Background: Campylobacter jejuni/coli are frequent causes of diarrhea in humans worldwide originating in foods of animal origin mainly from poultry. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of thermotolerant Campylobacter strains in retail raw meat products. Methods: During a 4-month period from November 2006 to April 2007, a total of 540 raw meat samples were collected from beef (n=227), sheep (n=114), goat (n=92), chicken (n=60) and pork (n=47) and analyzed for Campylobacter spp. Results: Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 50 (9.3%) out of 540 meat samples. The highest prevalence (21.7%) was recorded in chicken meat, followed by sheep meat (10.5%), pork meat (8.5%), goat meat (7.6%) and beef (6.2%). Among the isolates, 39 (78%) were identified to be C. jejuni, 9 (18%) were C. coli and 2 (4%) were C. lari. Lower resistance rates (2-6%) were observed for amoxicillin, chloramphenicol and erythromycin than (10-20%) for ampicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin and tetracycline. Multidrug resistance to two or more drugs was detected in 20% of strains. Conclusion: Raw meat from food animals could serve as potential source of campylobacter, indicating possible risks of infection to people through the consumption of raw/under-cooked meat. Low percentages of resistance to most antimicrobial agents tested in this study may be the indirect result of low/no usage of these agents as a growth promoter or treatment in food animals in the Ethiopian animal farm setting. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2008;22(2):195200]