Campylobacter infections in calves, piglets, lambs and kids in Trinidad

Faeces or rectal swabs from 689 diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic animals were cultured for thermophilic campylobacters and their antibiograms were determined. Three hundred and fifteen (45.7%) samples were positive for Campylobacter. Piglets had the highest prevalence, 79.3% (233/294) and lambs, the lowest with 17.9% (15/84) being positive. The difference was statistically significant (P < or = 0.01; chi 2). In calves, 20.5% (60/293) and in kids 38.9% (7/18) were positive for campylobacters. The prevalence of infection was not significantly (P > or = 0.05; chi 2) different between diarrhoeic (46.1%) and non-diarrhoeic (45.1%) animals nor between male (47.5%) and female (43.8%). The frequency of isolation of campylobacters harvested from semi-intensively managed animals (75.4%) was, however, significantly higher (P < or = 0.001; chi 2) than from intensively or extensively managed animals. Overall, C. coli strains (32.8%) were more frequently isolated than C. jejuni strains (12.9%) and the difference was significant (P < or = 0.001; chi 2). Biotype I accounted for 67.3% (152/226) of C. coli and 64.0% (57/89) of C. jejuni strains isolated. A total of 245 (77.8%) strains of Campylobacter exhibited resistance to one or more antibiotics and was highest to streptomycin (76.5%), kanamycin (28.6%) and neomycin (26.7%). It was concluded that Campylobacter infections were widespread in livestock in Trinidad, particularly C. coli in piglets.