Antimicrobial Resistance and Pathogenicity of Aliarcobacter butzleri Isolated from Poultry Meat

Abstract

Aliarcobacter butzleri (A. butzleri) is an emergent zoonotic food-related pathogen that can be transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat. Data regarding the pathogenicity and resistance of A. butzleri are still scarce, and the presence of virulent MDR strains of this zoonotic pathogen in poultry meat is an issue of particular concern to public health. This study aimed to characterize the pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance profiles of A. butzleri strains isolated from poultry meat sold at retail markets in São Paulo, Brazil. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of 27 strains were determined using the broth microdilution method. The results showed that 77.7% of the isolates were resistant to clindamycin, 62.9% to florfenicol, 59.2% to nalidixic acid, 11.1% to azithromycin, 7.4% to ciprofloxacin and telithromycin, and 3.7% to erythromycin and tetracycline, although all were susceptible to gentamicin. Moreover, 55.5% of the virulent isolates were also multidrug-resistant (MDR). Three strains were selected for pathogenicity tests in vitro and in vivo. The tested strains expressed weak/moderate biofilm production and showed a diffuse adhesion pattern (3 h) in HeLa cells and toxicity in Vero cells (24 h). Experimental inoculation in 11-week-old chicks induced a transitory inflammatory enteritis. Intestinal hemorrhage and destruction of the intestinal crypts were observed in the rabbit ileal loop test. Considering the fact that Brazil is a major exporter of poultry meat, the data from this study point to the need of improvement of the diagnostic tools, as well as of the adoption of surveillance guidelines and more specific control strategies to ensure food safety, reducing the presence of pathogenic MDR strains in broilers.

Prolonged watery diarrhea and malnutrition caused by Aliarcobacter butzleri (formerly Arcobacter butzleri): the first pediatric case in Croatia and a literature review

“…However, there are several studies that report resistance of Aliarcobacter to these antibiotics. According to the results from Van den Abeele et al, tetracycline are considered to be effective for the treatment of fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates, which is in concordance with the results obtained in the study from de Oliveira et al[5,10].…”

“…Although the pathogenesis of aliarcobacteriosis has not been fully elucidated, A. butzleri can trigger the onset of an inflammatory reaction of the intestinal crypts, with thickening and flattening of villi, tissue destruction and infiltrations with macrophages, lymphocytes and heterophils. Moreover, biofilm formation and positive toxicity test have been demonstrated in Verro and HeLa cells [5,13].…”

“…A. butzleri has worldwide distribution and human aliarcobacteriosis has been already documented in many European countries (e.g. Italy, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany), Asia, South Africa and Latin America [5,6]. However, due to the lack of standardized cultivation and identification methods, as well as the lack of awareness of the public health significance, many infections remain unrecognized and etiologically unproven [4,5,24].…”

“…Antibiotics are recommended only in the case of severe infection or worsening of clinical symptoms. A. butzleri is usually susceptible to fluoroquinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines and aminoglycosides, while resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins [1,4,5,10]. However, the growing trend of antimicrobial resistance in foodborne and waterborne pathogens is present worldwide and the antimicrobial resistance rates in Aliarcobacter changed over the time.…”