Incidence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broiler flocks in the Czech Republic

Campylobacter jejuni is now recognized as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in the Czech republic with Campylobacter coli less frequently implicated. Foods of animal origin, in particular poulty, have been identified as significant sources of this enteropathogen as a result of infection and contamination at the pre-harvest and harvest levels. In the period from March 2005 to January 2006, fourteen different broiler flocks from the commercional farms with extensional rearing technology from the Czech republic were examined. The methods of cultivation and identification of the isolated strains were used in accordance with the effective ISO guidelines. Confirmation was made by PCR/RFLP technique. Of the total of 674 samples, 78.33 % (n = 528) were positive for the presence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. Ratio of C. jejuni and C. coli was 91.67 % (n = 484) and 9.09 % (n = 48), respectively. Four samples were evaluated as mixed samples. In seven farms only C. jejuni and in six farms both C. jejuni and C. coli were found. Only one of fourteen conventional broiler farms was Campylobacter spp. negative. Antimicrobial resistance was examined by reference agar dilution method in 247 strains and minimal inhibition concentrations (MICś) were determined. High level resistance was detected to nalidixic adic, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin. All isolated strains were sensitive to gentamicin and chloramphenicol. PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques were used for identification of mutations of gyrA gene (resistance to quinolones), two point mutations in 23S rRNA gene (resistance to erythromycine) and for detection of tet genes (resistance to tetracycline). Our results showed that molecular biology methods are usable only for strains with high and middle levels of MICs.