High rates of contamination of poultry meat products with drug-resistant campylobacter in Metro Manila, Philippines

Abstract

A total of 265 chicken parts were collected from 15 wet markets and 15 supermarkets in Metro Manila, Philippines. Campylobacter spp. was isolated on modified charcoal cefoperazone de-oxycholate agar plates and identified through biochemical tests and PCR amplification of genus- and species-specific genes. Antimicrobial resistance profiles were determined following the protocols of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Two hundred and seven (78.1%) Campylobacter spp. isolates were obtained. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli were detected in 170 (64.2%) and 32 (12.1%) of the samples, respectively. Liver and skin samples showed the greatest levels of contamination. Most of the isolates were resistant to clindamycin (98.6%), erythromycin (98.6%), nalidixic acid (98.1%), tetracycline (94.2%), gentamicin (65.2%), and chloramphenicol (52.7%). The results indicated that poultry meat sold in markets in Metro Manila is contaminated with drug-resistant Campylobacter spp.