Abstract

CASTRO ROJAS, Liz Aurora et al. Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in slaughtered broiler chickens in Paraguay. Biotecnia [online]. 2023, vol.25, n.3, pp.140-145.  Epub May 27, 2024. ISSN 1665-1456.  https://doi.org/10.18633/biotecnia.v25i3.2026.

Campylobacteriosis is one of the main zoonotic diseases transmitted through food, particularly chicken meat and its derivatives, which are relevant sources of transmission to humans. This study aimed to ascertain both prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in Cobb 500TM broiler chickens from a slaughterhouse in Paraguay. From 300 cloacal swab samples collected randomly, microbiological analysis were performed followed by bacterial confirmation through molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Campylobacter spp. prevalence was 63.6 %, with 97.3 % corresponding to C. jejuni and 2.7 % to C. coli. Bacterial susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin was determined using the E-test®. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was observed in 85 % of C. jejuni and in 100 % of C. coli isolates. Erythromycin resistance was identified in only one C. jejuni issolate (0.5 %). This research highlights the significance of C. jejuni prevalence and resistance to ciprofloxacin. These findings underscore the public health risk associated with chicken meat consumption, possibly containing antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter species. Hence, the necessity of implementing health control measures, concerning antibiotic treatments in poultry production can be emphasized.

Keywords : Poultry; antimicrobials; Campylobacter spp; food pathogens; PCR; public health.