Quantitative Contamination Level and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Campylobacter Isolates from Retail Meats in Aomori

Abstract

The number of 168 retail meat samples (72 poultry, 61 swine, 35 bovine) in Aomori prefecture were examined for contamination by Campylobacter and for evaluation of the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates. C. jejuni was isolated from 17 poultry samples (3 breast strips, 2 wing, 3 skin, 4 liver and 5 leg), 2 swine samples (1 bowel and 1 seasoned bowel), and 1 bovine sample (1 bowel). C. coli was isolated from 10 swine samples (6 bowel and 4 seasoned bowel) and 2 bovine samples (1 bowel and 1 seasoned bowel). C. lari was isolated from 1 swine sample (1 seasoned bowel). No Campylobacter were detected from breast in poultry, lean, tongue, mince, womb and liver in swine and lean in bovine. The finding suggest that C. jejuni is associated with poultry meat and C. coli is associated with the bowel in swine and bovine. Fifteen strains of C. jejuni and 14 strains of C. coli were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility test. All tested antimicrobials were effective against 9 strains of C. jejuni and 3 strains of C. coli. All strains were found to be susceptible to fosfomycin; erythromycin resistance was observed in 3 strains of C. coli, tetracycline resistance in 2 strains of C. jejuni and 8 strains of C. coli, and ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin resistance in 6 strains of C. jejuni and 4 strains of C. coli. The findings suggested that antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter differs among species.