title: Resistance mechanisms in Campylobacter jejuni.
abstract: Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food-borne gastroenteritis worldwide. While mortality is low, morbidity imparted by post-infectious sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, Reiter syndrome/reactive arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome is significant. In addition, the economic cost is high due to lost productivity. Food animals, particularly poultry, are the main reservoirs of C. jejuni. The over-use of antibiotics in the human population and in animal husbandry has led to an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly with fluoroquinolones. This is problematic because C. jejuni gastroenteritis is clinically indistinguishable from that caused by other bacterial pathogens, and such illnesses are usually treated empirically with fluoroquinolones. Since C. jejuni is naturally transformable, acquisition of additional genes imparting antibiotic resistance is likely. Therefore, an understanding of the antibiotic resistance mechanisms in C. jejuni is needed to provide proper therapy both to the veterinary and human populations.
authors: University of Florida and the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA. iovinnm@medicine.ufl.edu
authors: Nicole M
authors: NM
authors: Iovine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Campylobacter jejuni; CmeABC; MOMP; antibiotic resistance; efflux pump; major outer membrane protein; porin