Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and virulence of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from chicken meat

• Published in: Journal of food safety 2019-04, Vol.39 (2), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Samad, Abdul, Abbas, Ferhat, Ahmed, Zafar, Akbar, Ali, Naeem, Muhammad, Sadiq, Muhammad Bilal, Ali, Imran, Saima, Roomeela, Bugti, Farah Sabeen, Achakzai, Safiullah Khan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ampicillin; Antibiotics; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Campylobacter; Campylobacter jejuni; Chickens; Chloramphenicol; Chloromycetin; Cinnamon; Ciprofloxacin; Complications; Developing countries; Erythromycin; FlaA protein; Food safety; Foodborne diseases; Illnesses; Intestine; LDCs; Meat; Meat processing; Pathogens; Polymerase chain reaction; Poultry; Pretreatment; Resistance factors; Virulence; Virulence factors
• ISSN: 0149-6085; 1745-4565
• DOI: 10.1111/jfs.12600

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from retail chicken meat. The identification of Campylobacter isolates and the presence of virulence factor were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Furthermore, clove oil, cinnamon, and turmeric extracts were evaluated for the antimicrobial potential against Campylobacter isolates. Out of 200 chicken meat samples, 80 (40%) samples were found contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni. Antibacterial susceptibility testing indicated that out of 80 isolates 60 (75%) were resistant to tetracycline followed by 31 (38.75%) to ciprofloxacin, 12 (15%) to ampicillin, 8 (10%) to erythromycin, and 2 (2.5%) were resistant to chloramphenicol. Clove oil and cinnamon extract showed antibacterial potential against Campylobacter isolates. Furthermore, all the 80 isolates (100%) were found positive for virulence genes (cadF, flaA, and dnaJ). The presence of antibacterial resistance and virulence factors in C. jejuni highlighted the risk associated with retail poultry meat. Practical applications Campylobacter jejuni is associated with foodborne illnesses such as gastrointestinal intestinal complications. This study demonstrated that raw chicken meat should be subjected to pretreatment to avoid the foodborne illnesses associated with multidrug‐resistant (MDR) Campylobacter jejuni. Moreover, the use of antibiotics should be strictly monitored in developing countries to avoid the emergence of multidrug‐resistant pathogens.