Antimicrobial resistance profiles and mechanisms of resistance in Campylobacter jejuni isolates from pets

Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2009 Jul-Aug;6(6):705-10. doi: 10.1089/fpd.2008.0225.

Abstract

The presence of antimicrobial resistance in 51 Campylobacter jejuni isolates obtained from cats and dogs was determined by E-testing. Resistance to nalidixic acid (37.3% of isolates), ciprofloxacin (19.6%), tetracycline (13.7%), ampicillin (13.7%), erythromycin (11.8%), and chloramphenicol (5.9%) was detected. Resistance to two antimicrobials or more was present in 31.4% of isolates, and one isolate was resistant to all six antimicrobials. Of the isolates with ciprofloxacin and/or nalidixic acid resistance, 54.5% had the gyrA substitution Thr-86-Ile on sequencing. The tet o gene was detected in 75.0% isolates with high-level resistance to tetracycline. With the observed antimicrobial resistance in C. jejuni isolates from pets in this study, and the detection of identical mechanisms for quinolone and tetracycline resistance in pets and humans, pets should be considered a potential source of (multi)resistant C. jejuni infections in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ampicillin Resistance
  • Animals
  • Animals, Domestic / microbiology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Campylobacter jejuni / drug effects*
  • Campylobacter jejuni / genetics*
  • Campylobacter jejuni / isolation & purification
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Cats
  • Chloramphenicol Resistance
  • Ciprofloxacin / pharmacology
  • DNA Gyrase / chemistry
  • DNA Gyrase / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Dogs
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Erythromycin / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Nalidixic Acid / pharmacology
  • Phenotype
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tetracycline Resistance / genetics

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Tet O resistance protein, Bacteria
  • Nalidixic Acid
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Erythromycin
  • DNA Gyrase