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Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Human Campylobacter jejuni Isolates and Association with Phylogenetic
Wonhee Cha1, Rebekah Mosci1, Samantha L Wengert1
1Departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University East Lansing, MI, USA.
Abstract:
Campylobacter jejuni is a zoonotic pathogen and the most common bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide. With the increase of antibiotic resistance to fluoroquinolones and macrolides, the drugs of choice for treatment, C. jejuni was recently classified as a serious antimicrobial resistant threat. Here, we characterized 94 C. jejuni isolates collected from patients at four Michigan hospitals in 2011 and 2012 to determine the frequency of resistance and association with phylogenetic lineages. The prevalence of resistance to fluoroquinolones (19.1%) and macrolides (2.1%) in this subset of C. jejuni isolates from Michigan was similar to national reports. High frequencies of fluoroquinolone-resistant C. jejuni isolates, however, were recovered from patients with a history of foreign travel. A high proportion of these resistant isolates were classified as multilocus sequence type (ST)-464, a fluoroquinolone-resistant lineage that recently emerged in Europe. A significantly higher prevalence of tetracycline-resistant C. jejuni was also found in Michigan and resistant isolates were more likely to represent ST-982, which has been previously recovered from ruminants and the environment in the U.S. Notably, patients with tetracycline-resistant C. jejuni infections were more likely to have contact with cattle. These outcomes prompt the need to monitor the dissemination and diversification of imported fluoroquinolone-resistant C. jejuni strains and to investigate the molecular epidemiology of C. jejuni recovered from cattle and farm environments to guide mitigation strategies.
Insights
Antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter jejuni is a growing concern. This study found fluoroquinolone-resistant C. jejuni strains, often linked to travel and specific lineages, and tetracycline-resistant strains associated with cattle contact in Michigan.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
Background:
- Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis globally.
- Increasing antibiotic resistance, particularly to fluoroquinolones and macrolides, designates C. jejuni as a serious antimicrobial resistance threat.
- Understanding resistance patterns and their genetic associations is crucial for effective treatment and control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in C. jejuni isolates from Michigan patients.
- To investigate the association between antimicrobial resistance and phylogenetic lineages of C. jejuni.
- To identify potential sources and transmission routes of resistant strains.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of 94 C. jejuni isolates from Michigan hospitals (2011-2012).
- Antimicrobial resistance profiling for key drug classes.
- Phylogenetic analysis using multilocus sequence typing (MLST).
Main Results:
- Fluoroquinolone resistance (19.1%) and macrolide resistance (2.1%) prevalence were similar to national data.
- Higher fluoroquinolone resistance was observed in isolates from patients with foreign travel history, often belonging to the ST-464 lineage.
- Tetracycline resistance was more prevalent in Michigan isolates, with ST-982 strains frequently associated with cattle contact.
Conclusions:
- Imported fluoroquinolone-resistant C. jejuni strains, like ST-464, require monitoring for dissemination.
- Investigating C. jejuni from cattle and environmental sources is vital for understanding tetracycline resistance (ST-982) and developing mitigation strategies.
- Molecular epidemiology links specific C. jejuni lineages to resistance and potential transmission pathways.
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