Antibiotic resistance in Campylobacter strains isolated from animals: Foods, and humans in Spain in 1997-1998

Colonization by Campylobacter strains was investigated in human, broiler, a nd pig fecal samples from 1997-1998, as well as in foods of animal origin, and antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out for these strains. Ca mpylobacter strains were isolated in the foods of animal origin (55 of 101 samples; 54.4%), intestinal samples from broilers (85 of 105; 81%), and pig s (40 of 45; 88.9%), A total of 641 Campylobacter strains were isolated fro m 8,636 human fecal samples of clinical origin (7.4%), Campylobacter jejuni was the most frequently isolated species from broilers (81%) and humans (8 4%), and Campylobacter coli was most frequently isolated from pigs (100%). An extremely high frequency of ciprofloxacin resistance was detected among Campylobacter strains, particularly those isolated from broilers and pigs ( 99%), with a slightly lower result for humans (72%); cross-resistance with nalidixic acid was almost always observed. A higher frequency of resistance to erythromycin (81.1%), ampicillin (65.7%), gentamicin (22.2%), and amika cin (21.6%) was detected in C, coli strains isolated from pigs compared to those isolated from humans (34.5, 29.3, 8.6, and 0%, respectively), A low f requency of erythromycin resistance was found in C,jejuni or C, coli isolat ed from broilers, A greater resistance to ampicillin and gentamicin (47.4 a nd 11.9%, respectively) was detected in C. jejuni isolated from broilers th an in human strains (38 and 0.4%, respectively). beta-Lactamase production was found in 81% of the Campylobacter strains tested, although 44% of them were characterized as ampicillin susceptible. The increasing rates of Campy lobacter resistance make advisable a more conservative policy for the use o f antibiotics in farm animals.