Fecal carriage and multidrug resistance profiles of zoonotic Campylobacter species isolated from broilers in Nsukka, Nigeria

Vet World Vol.18 November-2025 Article - 9

Research Article

Veterinary World, 18(11): 3409-3419

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.3409-3419

Emmanuel O. Njoga^1,2

, Emmanuel Ochi³, Obichukwu C. Nwobi³, Joel C. Ugwunwarua³

, Ebube C. Anidobe³

, Onyinye S. Onwumere-Idolor⁴

, Jameslove I. Kperegbeyi⁴

, Everest O. Atadiose⁵, Temitope M. Ogunniran⁶

, Ekene V. Ezenduka³

, and James W. Oguttu¹

1. Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Florida (Science) Campus, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

3. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

4. Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Southern Delta University, P. M. B. 5, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria.

5. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University Abraka, PMB 001, Delta State, Nigeria.

6. Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria.

Background and Aim: Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are leading causes of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis worldwide, with poultry serving as a principal reservoir. The rapid emergence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Campylobacter strains poses a growing public-health challenge, especially in developing countries where therapeutic options are limited. This study investigated the fecal carriage and AMR profiles of zoonotic Campylobacter species (ZCS) isolated from broilers.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and July 2024. A total of 370 broiler fecal samples were collected using systematic random sampling and cultured on Modified Charcoal Cefoperazone Deoxycholate Agar. Phenotypic identification was performed by colony morphology, Gram staining, and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method against nine antibiotics from distinct classes. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) indices were calculated, and Fisher’s exact test was applied to determine statistical associations (p < 0.05).

Results: Campylobacter spp. were detected in 20% (74/370) of samples, comprising C. jejuni 6% (22/370) and C. coli 14% (52/370). Nearly all isolates (97.3%) exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR), with MAR indices ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 (mean = 0.8). Thirteen distinct AMR patterns were observed; seven were associated with C. coli and six with C. jejuni. The three most effective antibiotics were gentamicin (GEN) > ciprofloxacin > tetracycline (TET), though C. coli isolates were significantly more resistant to GEN (p = 0.001) and TET (p = 0.018).

Conclusion: The 20% fecal carriage of ZCS in slaughtered broilers and the 97.3% MDR prevalence pose a serious public-health and food-safety threat. Prudent antimicrobial use strengthened farm biosecurity, and active AMR surveillance under a One Health framework are urgently needed to curb the spread of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter spp. in poultry production systems and to safeguard human health.

Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, broilers, Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni, food safety, multidrug resistance, One Health.

How to cite this article: Njoga EO, Ochi E, Nwobi OC, Ugwunwarua JC, Anidobe EC, Onwumere-Idolor OS, Kperegbeyi JI, Atadiose EO, Ogunniran TM, Ezenduka EV, and Oguttu JW (2025) Fecal carriage and multidrug resistance profiles of zoonotic Campylobacter species isolated from broilersin Nsukka, Nigeria, Veterinary World, 18(11): 3409-3419.

Received: 03-06-2025 Accepted: 15-10-2025 Published online: 23-11-2025

Corresponding author: Emmanuel O. Njoga E-mail: njogaeo@unisa.ac.za, njoga.emmanuel@unn.edu.ng

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.3409-3419

Copyright: Njoga, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.