Occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in Swedish calves, common sequence types and antibiotic resistance patterns

Abstract

Aims Cattle are the second most important cause of human campylobacteriosis, after poultry, but there are knowledge gaps regarding Campylobacter in cattle. This study examined the occurrence of Campylobacter, the species present, sequence types and antibiotic resistance in Swedish cattle.Methods and Results Faeces samples collected from 154 calves on seven Swedish farms, and 69 follow-up samples from a second collection occasion, were analysed. Campylobacter were isolated from 77% of calves at the first sampling, with Campylobacter jejuni as the most frequently isolated species. Animals kept on deep straw bedding were less likely to be colonized with Campylobacter. Whole-genome sequencing of 90 C. jejuni samples resulted in 11 sequence types, among which ST-19 and ST-21 were most frequent. Antimicrobial resistance analyses showed that 46% of 142 isolates analysed were resistant to quinolones, while all isolates belonging to ST-19, ST-22 and ST-441 were resistant to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid.Conclusions Campylobacter jejuni was the species most frequently isolated in calves and a strong association was found between sequence type and antimicrobial resistance pattern.Significance and Impact of the Study The high proportion of calves with quinolone-resistant Campylobacter jejuni should be considered in a One Health perspective.

Keywords

antimicrobial resistance; Campylobacter jejuni; Campylobacter hyointestinalis; cattle; cgMLST; whole‐genome sequencing

Published in

Journal of Applied Microbiology
2021, volume: 130, number: 6, pages: 2111-2122
Publisher: WILEY

SLU Authors

• Hansson, Ingrid

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Tamminen, Lena-Mari

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Frosth, Sara

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Fernström, Lise-Lotte

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Emanuelson, Ulf

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Boqvist, Sofia

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

AMR: Bacteria

Global goals (SDG)

SDG3 Good health and well-being

UKÄ Subject classification

Clinical Science
Microbiology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14914

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109244