Isolation, molecular identification and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Campylobacter species of dairy origin: first report from Bangladesh

This study was aimed for isolation, identification and characterization of Campylobacter species from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) dairy farm during the period of January to May, 2016. A total of 80 samples (faecal samples of calves, heifers and cows; milk samples of cows) were collected from Bangladesh Agricultural University dairy farm for isolation and identification of Campylobacter species by using cultural, biochemical and molecular methods. Moreover, the isolated Campylobacter species were subjected for antimicrobial susceptibility test. Campylobacter like organisms were presumptively identified in 20 samples. Isolates were biochemically positive to catalase and oxidase tests and in hippurate hydrolysis test some of the isolates (n=6) shown negative that indicated the isolates were C. coli and some of the test isolates (n=14) shown positive that indicated the isolates were C. jejuni. Campylobacter specific 16S rRNA genes were amplified from the isolates. Out of 20 isolated Campylobacter 14 (17.5%) were detected as C. jejuni and the rest 6 (7.5%) were detected as C. coli by cdtC gene based multiplex PCR assay. C. jejuni were resistant to amoxicillin, erythromycin, azithromycin and susceptible to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and streptomycin. Furthermore, C. coli were resistant to amoxicillin and erythromycin and susceptible to gentamycin, ciproflaxacin. Out of 20 Campylobacter isolates, 57.14% C. jejuni and 33.33% C. coli were identified as multidrug resistant. To the best of our knowledge, this study has brought the first report on the occurrence of Campylobacter species with their antibiogram profiles in any dairy farm of Bangladesh.