Antimicrobial Resistance amongCampylobacterStrains, United States, 1997–2001

Abstract

We summarize antimicrobial resistance surveillance data in human and chicken isolates of Campylobacter . Isolates were from a sentinel county study from 1989 through 1990 and from nine state health departments participating in National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for enteric bacteria (NARMS) from 1997 through 2001. None of the 297 C. jejuni or C. coli isolates tested from 1989 through 1990 was ciprofloxacin-resistant. From 1997 through 2001, a total of 1,553 human Campylobacter isolates were characterized: 1,471 (95%) were C. jejuni , 63 (4%) were C. coli , and 19 (1%) were other Campylobacter species. The prevalence of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter was 13% (28 of 217) in 1997 and 19% (75 of 384) in 2001; erythromycin resistance was 2% (4 of 217) in 1997 and 2% (8 of 384) in 2001. Ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter was isolated from 10% of 180 chicken products purchased from grocery stores in three states in 1999. Ciprofloxacin resistance has emerged among Campylobacter since 1990 and has increased in prevalence since 1997.

Low Prevalence of Campylobacteriosis in the Northern Region of India

“…Patients with quinolone-resistant C. jejuni, treated with fluoroquinolones in Minnesota in 1997 had a median duration of diarrhea of 10 days compared to 7 days in those with sensitive strains [29]. Gupta et al [30] reported 31% patients with ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter were hospitalized for gastroenteritis compared to 3% patients with sensitive strains. In a case control study carried out in 1998-1999 in 290 patients who did not take anti-diarrheal medication for campylobacteriosis, those with ciprofloxacin-resistant strains had a mean duration of diarrhea of 9 days, compared to 7 days in those with sensitive isolates [31].…”

Impact of Rurality, Broiler Operations, and Community Socioeconomic Factors on the Risk of Campylobacteriosis in Maryland

“…In the Netherlands, van Hees et al (2006) found an inverse relationship between the annual incidence rates of infection from July through September and the rates of floroquinolone and macrolide resistance among Campylobacter isolates (van Hees, 2006). In the U.S., Gupta et al (2004) Campylobacter may persist even after on-farm use of fluoroquinolones has ceased. (Price, 2007) Antimicrobial resistance may also be linked to the method of animal production.…”

Fluoroquinolone Use in Food Animals

“…These infections cause problems in treating illnesses as well as increased rates of illness and death (3). Despite a large body of scientific evidence and a judicial review (1-3) that show harmful results in many persons, some members of the poultry and pharmaceutical industries argue that fluoroquinolone use in food animals has no adverse effects in humans (4) and continue to supply these drugs for use in poultry (2,5). The use of these drugs has caused rapidly increasing resistance rates in most countries.…”

“…Bayer (manufacturer of the only fluoroquinolone used in poultry in the United States) states that Baytril (enrofloxacin) is used in <1% of US broiler flocks (4). This statistic allows us to estimate how many persons will potentially have an adverse outcome compared to the number of animals receiving fluoroquinolones.…”