Abstract of research

Bacteriological and Molecular Identification of some Campylobacter Species in Broilers and their Macrolide Resistance Profile

Ashraf A. Abd El Tawab1 , Ahmed A. Ammar 2 , Heba A. Ahmed3 , Fatma I. El Hofy1 , Ahmed A. Hefny4*

Abstract

Genus campylobacter including several species is of great importance that is considered among the major causative agents of acute diarrheal diseases in humans worldwide. The current study was carried out to determine the occurrence of thermotolerant campylobacters in broilers and to identify the macrolides resistance profiles of C. jejuni and C. coli isolates. A total of 568 samples (364 cloacal swabs and 51 of each breast meat, thigh meat, caecal part and neck skin) were collected from broiler chickens at slaughter age from local pluck shop outlets in Zagazig city, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The isolation rate of Campylobacter species from neck skin, breast meat, cloacal swabs, thigh meat and caecal parts samples was 25.5%, 27.5%, 29.3%, 31.4% and 41.2%, respectively. C. jejuni was isolated from cloacal swabs, skin, thigh meat, breast meat and caecal parts samples with the isolation rate of 55.3%, 53.8%, 43.7%, 50% and 80.9%, respectively. Forty-two campylobacter isolates (28 and 14 biochemically suspected C. jejuni and C. coli isolates, respectively) were confirmed molecularly depending on 23S rRNA gene. Furthermore, real time PCR targeting hipO gene specific for C. jejuni and glyA specific for C. coli were used. The molecularly confirmed isolates were evaluated they macrolides resistance pattern which revealed that all isolates were resistant to macrolides. Further studies on the mechanisms of macrolides resistance in campylobacters are essential.