PLASMID PROFILES AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI AND CAMPYLOBACTER COL/ISOLATED FROM EGYPTIAN PATIENTS

Abstract

A total of 120 Campylobacter clinical isolates from pediatric Egyptian patients (110 Cjejuni and 10 C.coli) from the year 1996 to the year 1999 were examined for their resistance to 12 antimicrobial agents. Only 100 of those isolates (90 Cjejuni and 10 C.coli) were also examined for their plasmid profiles on agarose gel electrophoresis. Almost all the Campylobacter isolates examined were sensitive to amikacin, gentamicin, erythromycin and azithromycin. The resistance of the studied isolates to ampicillin increased from 1996 to 1999 (23% resistance in 1996 versus 27%, 57% and 60% resistance for the following three years respectively at P <0.005). The resistance of those isolates to tetracycline also increased in the same period of time ( 10% resistance versus 13%, 30% and 53% resistance respectively at P <0.001). The examined isolates showed decrease in resistance to trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole from 1996 to 1999 (100% resistance in 1996 & 1997 verus 93% in 1998 and 77% in 1999 at P < 0.001 ). Plasmids were detected in 35% of the Cjejuni clinical Egyptian isolates and none in the C.coli isolates . A total of 11 different plasmid profiles were unique to these Campylobacter Egyptian isolates. The presence of plasmid DNA was not found to be correlated with any definite resistance. Plasmids, as well, didn't seem to be associated with the severity of the disease.