Chemoresistances among 80 Campylobacter strains isolated from childhood gastroenteritis cases

The antimicrobial susceptibility of 80 thermophilic Campylobacter strains, 61 C. jejuni and 19 C. coli, isolated from childhood gastroenteritis cases has been studied. Gentamicin and chloramphenicol were effective against all strains; beta-lactams, except carbenicillin and ticarcillin, had on the whole little activity. 26.2% of strains proved to be resistant to tetracycline and 7.5% to erythromycin; erythromycin-resistance was found significantly more often in the species C. coli and always associated to clindamycin-resistance. The high prevalence of strains resistant to erythromycin suggests chloramphenicol and gentamicin as possible alternative drugs in the treatment of life-threatening Campylobacter infections.