Prevalence, antimicrobial resistance profiles and virulence-associated genes of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. isolated from ducks in a Chinese slaughterhouse

• Published in: Food control 2019-10, Vol.104, p.157-166
• Main Authors: Han, Xinfeng, Guan, Xingai, Zeng, Hang, Li, Jiakang, Huang, Xuelin, Wen, Yiping, Zhao, Qin, Huang, Xiaobo, Yan, Qigui, Huang, Yong, Cao, Sanjie, Wu, Rui, Ma, Xiaoping, Zou, Likou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antimicrobial resistance; Campylobacter; Duck; Slaughter; Virulence determinant
• ISSN: 0956-7135; 1873-7129
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.04.038

A total of 220 Campylobacter isolates was recovered from 656 samples along a commercial duck slaughter line after a panel of confirmation tests including selective culture methods, biochemical identification and multiplex PCR in southwestern China. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. was 33.5%, including 16.6% of Campylobacter jejuni, 15.7% of Campylobacter coli and 3.6% of other Campylobacter species. A high level of resistance was observed to tetracycline (96.4%) and clindamycin (92.3%), followed by azithromycin (66.8%), erythromycin (47.3%), nalidixic acid (44.5%), chloramphenicol (42.7%), gentamicin (41.4%), and ciprofloxacin (37.3%). Forty-seven classes of antimicrobial resistance profile were found, and multidrug resistant (MDR) strains occupied 75.9% of the Campylobacter isolates. Virulence-associated genes of cadF (100%), cheY (92.7%) and cdtB (92.3%) were commonly observed in the Campylobacter isolates, followed by flaA (77.2%), iamA (71.8%), cdtA (60%), cdtC (54.1%) and ciaB (42.7%). Virulence gene of virB11 (7.7%) was less frequently detected. Totally, 48 virulence gene profiles were generated among Campylobacter isolates. Our results confirmed the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in the duck slaughterhouse, which were MDR and harbored several putative virulence-associated genes that might pose harm to human. •Duck is a vital reservoir for Campylobacter species, which has a potential risk to public health.•Prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni was slightly dominant than Campylobacer coli in duck slaughterhouse.•Campylobacter spp. was resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents with high MIC values.•Antimicrobial resistance of C. coli was higher than that of C. jejuni in duck slaughterhouse.•C. jejuni harbored more virulence-associated genes than C. coli.