Fluoroquinolone resistance in campylobacter

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Food Safety
• Veterinary Medicine

Background:

• Campylobacter species are common in poultry, making them a significant source of human infections.
• Fluoroquinolones target bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, essential for DNA replication and transcription.
• Rapid development of Campylobacter resistance to fluoroquinolones occurs via mutations in bacterial DNA gyrase.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and implications of fluoroquinolone resistance in Campylobacter from poultry and other food animals.
• To understand the persistence of fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter despite the removal of these antibiotics in animal agriculture.

Main Methods:

• The abstract does not specify the methods used, but implies observational studies and data collection on Campylobacter prevalence and resistance patterns in food animals and products.

Main Results:

• Fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter strains are widespread in poultry feces, carcasses, and retail meat globally.
• Contamination with resistant Campylobacter has also been observed in other food animals and their products.
• Removal of fluoroquinolones from animal treatment has not eradicated resistant Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from animal sources.

Conclusions:

• Poultry and poultry products remain a major reservoir for fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter, posing a continued risk to human health.
• Strategies to reduce Campylobacter colonization in chickens are crucial for mitigating human exposure and infection.
• The persistence of resistance underscores the complex challenge of antibiotic resistance in the food chain.