Antibiotic susceptibility patterns and beta-lactamase production of animaland human isolates of Campylobacter in Lagos, Nigeria

Forty-three stool samples and rectal swabs were collected from diarrhoeic a nd 20 non-diarrhoiec patients under 5 years of age at various general hospi tals in Lagos. A total of 110 faecal samples from animals (101 from chicken s and 9 from pigs) were obtained from Mitchel farm, Agege and Oshodi - Isol o Local Government farms at Ejigbo. Campylobacter species were isolated fro m 6 (13.9%) of 43 children with gastroenteritis and none from 20 asymptomat ic subjects. Forty-nine (48.5%) isolates from the hundred and one faecal sp ecimen were isolated from chicken, while 3 (33.33%) out of 9 were from pigs . Campylobacter jejuni was the most prevalent accounting for 79% of the tot al isolates and C. coli accounted for 25%. All the human strains were genta micin sensitive, while streptomicin and cloxacillin were resistant. Erythro mycin had a high activity (83.3%) on human strains and only 59.6% activity on animal strains. About ten percent (9.6%) of the strains produced beta-la ctamase.