Genetic characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter spp. isolated from domestic and imported chicken meats and humans in Korea.
This study was conducted to examine the in vitro activity of antimicrobials against Campylobacter spp. isolates from chicken and human sources and the genetic interrelation among them. During 2004-2008, a total of 173 Campylobacter spp. isolated from chicken meats (60 domestic and 62 imported chicken meats) and humans (n = 51) were tested for susceptibility to nine antimicrobials. Of 173 isolates, 140 (80.9%) showed multidrug resistance (MDR) against three to eight antimicrobials. The most frequent pattern type was MDR to four antimicrobials: ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, ampicillin, and tetracycline. Over 52.6% (91/173) of the isolates tested were resistant to these four antibiotics simultaneously. Especially, two and five isolates originated from Korea and Brazil showed resistance against all antibiotics tested, except for florfenicol. Further, 95% (57/60) of the isolates originated from domestic chicken showed resistance to ciprofloxacin, the antimicrobial agent of choice for treatment of human campylobacteriosis. Genotypic characterization of all Campylobacter isolates performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis yielded 74 types among the 173 isolates. Isolates sharing the same or similar genetic clusters were detected in different countries at different times. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of chicken-related isolates were closely related to those of isolates from humans with gastroenteritidis. The results of this study suggest that MDR Campylobacter spp. are widespread and that Campylobacter with similar genotypes are circulating both in humans and in chicken meat in Korea.
National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Anyang, Republic of Korea. kubk@korea.kr
Bok Kyung
BK
Ku
Hae Ji
HJ
Kim
Young Ju
YJ
Lee
Young Ihl
YI
Kim
Jung Su
JS
Choi
Mi Young
MY
Park
Jin Wook
JW
Kwon
Hyang-Mi
HM
Nam
Yong Hwan
YH
Kim
Suk-Chan
SC
Jung
Sun Jin
SJ
Lee
Sang Hyun
SH
Kim
Jong Hyun
JH
Kim
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D002645:Chickens; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005060:Europe; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013785:Thailand; D014481:United States
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial