Quinolone and macrolide resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and C-coli: Resistance mechanisms and trends in human isolates

The incidence of human Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli infections has incr eased markedly in many parts of the world in the last decade as has the num ber of quinolone-resistant and, to a lesser extent, macrolide-resistant Cam pylobacter strains causing infections. We review macrolide and quinolone re sistance in Campylobacter and track resistance trends in human clinical iso lates in relation to use of these agents in food animals. Susceptibility da ta suggest that erythromycin and other macrolides should remain the drugs o f choice in most regions, with systematic surveillance and central measures maintained, but fluoroquinolones may now be of limited use in the empiric treatment of Campylobacter infections in many regions.