Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - 2003 - Volume 130, Issue 03  


Campylobacter jejuni isolated from poultry and humans in Styria, Austria: epidemiology and ciprofloxacin resistance

I. HEIN a1c1, C. SCHNECK a1, M. KNÖGLER a1, G. FEIERL a2, P. PLESS a3, J. KÖFER a3, R. ACHMANN a4 and M. WAGNER a1
a1 Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology, and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria
a2 Institute of Hygiene, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Universitaetsplatz 1, A-8010 Graz, Austria
a3 Department of Veterinary Administration in Styria, Zimmerplatzgasse 15, A-8010 Graz, Austria
a4 Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria

Article author query
hein i   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
schneck c   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
knogler m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
feierl g   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
pless p   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
kofer j   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
achmann r   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
wagner m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

Sixty-six broiler flocks were sampled to determine the presence of Campylobacter spp. at slaughter in 1998. Thirty flocks (45%) tested positive and C. jejuni was identified in all isolates. Combined pulsed-field gel electrophoresis/amplified fragment length polymorphism (PFGE/AFLP) subtyping of 177 isolates from 24 positive flocks revealed 62 subtypes; 16 flocks harboured more than one subtype. When subtyping 101 clinical C. jejuni isolates collected in the same time period and area, 60 PFGE/AFLP types were identified. Comparison of subtypes from poultry and human isolates revealed three shared PFGE/AFLP types, which were present in 11 human isolates. Fifty per cent of all poultry isolates and 39% of all human isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. The present study confirms the increase in ciprofloxacin resistance in both human and poultry C. jejuni isolates in Austria, as observed in several countries worldwide. A small number of human isolates shared PFGE/AFLP types with poultry isolates, however, further studies should also focus on the identification of other sources of C. jejuni infection in humans.

(Accepted January 9 2003)


Correspondence:
c1 Author for correspondence.

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