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Title: Class 1 Integron-Associated Tobramycin-Gentamicin Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from the Broiler Chicken House Environment

Author
item LEE, MARGIE - UGA
item SANCHEZ, SUSAN - UGA
item ZIMMER, MARTHA - UGA
item IDRIS, UMELAALIM - UGA
item Berrang, Mark
item MCDERMOTT, PATRICK - CENTER FOR VET MED, MD

Submitted to: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/27/2002
Publication Date: 11/1/2002
Citation: Lee, M.D., Sanchez, S., Zimmer, M., Idris, U., Berrang, M.E., Mcdermott, P. 2002. Class 1 Integron-Associated Tobramycin-Gentamicin Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from the Broiler Chicken House Environment. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 46(11):3660-3664.

Interpretive Summary: Campylobacter jejuni is a human pathogen that is a leading cause of foodborne illness. Antibiotic resistant strains are an important concern because of the difficulty in treating infected people. An integron is a genetic element that can carry antibiotic resistance genes. One hundred and five Campylobacter jejuni strains were collected from poultry houses as well as processed carcasses and examined for the presence of integrons. Twenty two were found to contain integrons. Of those 22, only 5 included an antibiotic resistance cassette. These isolates had the genes for resistance to aminoglycosides including: tobramycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, neomycin and amikacin. Actual resistance was noted to tobramycin and gentamicin. This study shows that these genes can be found in and expressed by Campylobacter jejuni. This helps to lead to understanding of antimicrobial resistance in this important pathogen.

Technical Abstract: One hundred and five poultry-associated isolates of Campylobacter jejuni were screened for the presence of class 1 integrons using PCR. Twenty one percent (22/105) possessed the integrase gene indicating the presence of an integron. Only 5 of the 22 integron positive isolates produced an amplicon in 5'-3' CS PCR directed toward amplifying antimicrobial resistance cassettes. DNA sequencing demonstrated that all 5 possessed the aminoglycoside resistance gene, aacA4.