Genotyping and antibacterial resistance of Campylobacter spp strains isolated in children and in free range poultry

Poultry is a main reservoir and source of human infection in campylobacteriosis. Three hundred and forty one stool samples (291 human, 50 avian) were analyzed. In the human group, 220 samples were collected from children with acute diarrheal disease (183 inpatients, 37 outpatients) and 71 from healthy children. Erythromycin and ciprofloxacin agar dilution MIC tests, Penner serotyping and RAPD-PCR genotyping were performed on 23 strains isolated. C. jejuni was reported only in patients with acute diarrhea (5.4% inpatients, 2.2% outpatients). Campylobacter prevalence in poultry was 34%. Cross-resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin was found in 33.3% of human samples and 11.8% of animal samples. Human samples could not be typed using the Penner method. F serotype was the most expressed in poultry. We obtained a total of 14 genotypes (4 / 5 human and 10/15 avian). In conclusion, the predominant species in poultry and humans was C. jejuni, a significant amount of quinolone-resistant human and avian samples were obtained, and avian genotypes and serotypes were not found in human samples. The latter would mean that another source of infection could exist; therefore other reservoirs must be studied.