The present study aimed to isolate and genotype C. perfringens from healthy and diarrheic dromedary camels, pastures and herders; and to evaluate and compare antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. A total of 262 (56.3%) C. perfringens isolates were recovered from 465 samples of healthy and diarrheic dromedary camels, pastures and herders. C. perfringens type A (75.2%), type B (4.2%), type C (13.7%) and type D (6.9%) were detected. C. perfringens type A with only cpa+ gene was found in 191 (72.9%) isolates and with cpa+ associated cpb2+ was found only in 6 (2.3%) isolates. None of the isolates were positive for cpe and iap genes. The highest antimicrobial resistance (82.8%) was observed to ceftiofur with MIC50 and MIC90 values of <64 and ≥256 μg/mL, respectively, followed by penicillin G (72.9%) and erythromycin (61.5%). The lowest resistance (1.9%) was observed for doxycycline with MIC50 and MIC90 values of <1 and 4 μg/mL, respectively, followed by florfenicol (5.3%) and clindamycin (12.2%). In conclusion, C. perfringens type A with cpa+ gene was the most prevalent toxin type isolated in this study. The majority of the isolates were resistant to at least one of the ten antimicrobials tested. Antimicrobial resistance patterns of C. perfringens isolates provide further evidence on the emergence of multiple-drug resistant C. perfringens. Therefore, the dissemination of surveillance programs to monitor and control C. perfringens in dromedary camels is required.
Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Clostridium perfringens; Dromedary camel; Genotyping.
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