Antibiotic Resistance Profiles and Molecular Mechanisms of Campylobacter From Chicken and Pig in China

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles of Campylobacter spp. derived from chicken and pig feces collected from farms in Jiangsu Province, China, and to analyze the relevant resistance mechanisms among antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter spp. isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility to nine antibiotic agents was tested with the microdilution method in 93 Campylobacter spp. (45 C. jejuni and 25 C. coli from chickens; 23 C. coli from pigs). High rates of resistance were observed to nalidixic acid (79.6%), erythromycin (75.3%), tetracycline (68.8%), azithromycin (66.7%), ciprofloxacin (64.5%), and gentamicin (35.5%), with a lower resistance rate to florfenicol (8.6%). The prevalence of the tested antibiotic resistance in C. coli was higher than in C. jejuni from chickens. The rate of antimicrobial resistance to ciprofloxacin in C. coli isolates from chickens was 100.0%, and the C. coli isolates from pigs were all resistant to erythromycin (100%). Most of C. jejuni (64.4%) and C. coli (64.5%) isolates displayed multi-drug resistance. All the Campylobacter spp. isolates resistant to fluoroquinolones had the C257T mutation in the gyrA gene. All 64 tetracycline-resistant Campylobacter spp. isolates were positive for the tetO gene. The tetA gene was also amplified in 6.5% of Campylobacter spp. isolates, whereas tetB was not detected among the isolates. The A2075G point mutation in the 23S rRNA gene occurred in 86.1% (62/72) of the macrolides-resistant Campylobacter spp. isolates, and the ermB gene was identified in 49 Campylobacter spp. isolates (30 C. jejuni and 19 C. coli). Amino acid insertions or mutations in the L4 and L22 ribosomal proteins were not linked to macrolide resistance. These results highlight the high prevalence of resistance to multiple antibiotics, particular macrolides, among Campylobacter spp. from chickens and pigs in Jiangsu Province, China, which is probably attributable to the overuse of antimicrobials in chicken and pig production. These findings recommend the more cautious use of critical antimicrobial agents in swine and poultry production. Stringent and continuous surveillance is required to reduce the drug-resistant campylobacteriosis in food animals and humans.

Phenotypic and Molecular Patterns of Resistance among Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni Isolates, from Pig Farms

“…In regards to fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin, we have determined a significant lower rate of resistance compared to 52.3% of the EFSA report [ 29 ]. Moreover, for erythromycin resistance, the low rates of resistance that we have recorded are in great difference with the data from China [ 30 ], where Tang et al found that all 23 (100%) C. coli isolates from pigs and overall 75.3% of Campylobacter isolates from poultry and pigs were resistant to erythromycin. These differences can be attributed to the fact that macrolides, including erythromycin, are the only antibiotics authorized by the Chinese government for use as feed additives [ 31 ].…”

“…Our findings are similar to Woźniak-Biel et al (2016) [ 35 ] and El-Adawy et al (2012) [ 36 ], who revealed the same mutation in all ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter strains from broilers and turkeys, respectively. Moreover, Tang et al [ 30 ] characterized the T86I amino acid substitution as the sole mutation recorded in quinolones resistant Campylobacter isolates from poultry and pigs.…”

Unveiling the Impact of Antibiotics and Alternative Methods for Animal Husbandry: A Review

“…In recent years, many reports showed that Campylobacter spp. from poultry and pig farms in China had high antibiotic resistance rates, particularly towards fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines and macrolides [ 41 , 42 , 43 ].…”

Inhibitory Effect of Puroindoline Peptides on Campylobacter jejuni Growth and Biofilm Formation

“…The use of antibiotics in poultry production is one of the major factors for the development of antibiotic resistance in C. jejuni (Sahin et al, 2002;Skarp et al, 2016). Antibiotic-resistant C. jejuni isolates have been observed and reported in recent years (Marotta et al, 2020;Tang et al, 2020;Hull et al, 2021). A recent study reported that some natural products, including plant extracts, essential oils, and pure phytochemicals, are effective against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Campylobacter strains (Gahamanyi et al, 2020).…”