title: Genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni isolated from broiler chicken in farms and at time of slaughter in central Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Genetic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni were investigated along the broiler chicken production chain in central Italy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Campylobacter sp. isolated from cloacal swabs in farms (n = 116) and from the neck skin of chilled and eviscerated carcasses at slaughter (n = 24) were identified as C. coli (n = 99) and C. jejuni (n = 41) by multiplex PCR. Characterization by single amplified fragment length polymorphism (s-AFLP) revealed a specific genotype of Campylobacter for each farm. Minimal inhibitory concentration showed high prevalence of fluoroquinolones (70%), tetracycline (70%) and erythromycin (30%) resistance among C. coli isolates. Campylobacter jejuni isolates showed lower prevalence of fluoroquinolone (39%) and tetracycline (10%) resistance, and all isolates were susceptible to erythromycin. The S-AFLP types of the C. coli and C. jejuni isolates were associated with their antimicrobial resistance profiles (P < 0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The genetic diversity detected in Campylobacter isolates suggested that a specific genotype was harboured in each farm. A considerable number of C. coli isolates were resistant to erythromycin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Campylobacter coli was detected more frequently than C. jejuni in contrast to common findings for poultry. The high prevalence of 30% resistance to erythromycin in C. coli strains isolated from poultry is worrisome, as this is the first antibiotic of choice to treat human campylobacteriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Marche, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pergola
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Franciosini
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Marche, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comitini
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environmental Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Marche, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menchetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casagrande Proietti
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017000:Campylobacter coli / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002645:Chickens; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000072480:Farms; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000494:pharmacology; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D004917:Erythromycin
keywords: 
  Campylobacter coli
  ; 
  Campylobacter jejuni
  ; antimicrobial resistance; broiler chickens; genetic diversity; minimal inhibitory concentration; s-AFLP