Multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter lari isolated from asymptomatic school-going children in Kibera slum, Kenya [version 1; peer review: 2 approved with reservations]

• Published in: F1000 research Vol. 9; p. 92
• Main Authors: Gitahi, Nduhiu, Gathura, Peter B, Gicheru, Michael M, Wandia, Beautice M, Nordin, Annika
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England F1000 Research Ltd 2020
• Subjects: asymptomatic; Campylobacter; eng; genes; Multidrug; resistance; Multidrug; genes; asymptomatic; resistance; Campylobacter
• ISSN: 2046-1402; 2046-1402
• DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.21299.1

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of thermophilic
Campylobacter spp. in asymptomatic school-going children and establish the antibiotic resistant patterns of the isolates towards the drugs used to treat campylobacteriosis, including macrolides, quinolones and tetracycline.
Campylobacter spp. are a leading cause of enteric illness and have only recently shown resistant to antibiotics.
Methods: This study isolated
Campylobacter spp., including
Campylobacter coli,
Campylobacter jejuni and
Campylobacter lari, in stool samples from asymptomatic school-going children in one of the biggest urban slums in Kenya. The disc diffusion method using EUCAST breakpoints was used to identify antibiotic-resistant isolates, which were further tested for genes encoding for tetracycline resistances using primer-specific polymerase chain reaction.
Results: In total, 580 stool samples were collected from 11 primary schools considering both gender and age. Subjecting 294 biochemically characterized
Campylobacter spp. isolates to genus-specific PCR, 106 (18.27% of stool samples) isolates were confirmed
Campylobacter spp. Out of the 106 isolates, 28 (4.83%) were
Campylobacter
coli, 44 (7.58%) were
Campylobacter jejuni while 11 (1.89%) were
Campylobacter
lari.
Campylobacter jejuni had the highest number of isolates that were multi-drug resistant, with 26 out of the 28 tested isolates being resistant to ciprofloxacin (5 mg), nalidixic acid (30 mg), tetracycline (30 mg) and erythromycin (15 mg).
Conclusions: In conclusion, a one-health approach, which considers overlaps in environment, animals and human ecosystems, is recommended in addressing campylobacteriosis in humans, since animals are the main reservoirs and environmental contamination is evident.