AUTHOR=Chala Gemechu , Eguale Tadesse , Abunna Fufa , Asrat Daniel , Stringer Andrew 

TITLE=Identification and Characterization of Campylobacter Species in Livestock, Humans, and Water in Livestock Owning Households of Peri-urban Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A One Health Approach

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.750551

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2021.750551

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Campylobacter</italic> is the most common cause of bacterial infectious diarrhea and acute gastroenteritis globally, and is recognized as a significant zoonotic pathogen. Antimicrobial resistance amongst <italic>Campylobacter</italic> isolates is a significant global concern. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify and characterize <italic>Campylobacter</italic> species in humans, animals and water sources in livestock owning households of peri-urban Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and to characterize antimicrobial resistance. A total of 519 fecal samples from humans (<italic>n</italic> = 99), livestock (<italic>n</italic> = 179), poultry (<italic>n</italic> = 69), and water (<italic>n</italic> = 172) were collected. Samples were cultured for viable <italic>Campylobacter</italic> spp. and multiplex PCR utilized for the identification and confirmation. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. <italic>Campylobacter</italic> spp. was detected in 67/519 (13.0%) of the total tested samples, and the household level prevalence of <italic>Campylobacter</italic> was 42.4%. The prevalence of <italic>Campylobacter</italic> spp. was: humans (10.1%), cattle (18.5%), poultry (13.0%), sheep (13.3%), goats (7.1%), and water (10.5%). <italic>Campylobacter jejuni</italic> and <italic>C. fetus</italic> were the most frequently isolated species, followed by <italic>C. coli</italic>. The majority of isolates obtained from human samples had co-occurrence with isolates from cattle, poultry or water samples from the same household. The use of stored water, the practice of indoor and outdoor manure collecting, and animal species <italic>Campylobacter</italic> positivity were significantly associated with greater odds of human <italic>Campylobacter</italic> spp. positivity. All <italic>Campylobacter</italic> isolates from humans, poultry, sheep, goats and water, and 96.0% of isolates from cattle were resistant to at least one or more of the tested antimicrobials, with 95.5% of isolates resistant to three or more classes of antimicrobials. A One Health approach is recommended to further investigate <italic>Campylobacter</italic> species infections, and other zoonotic infectious diseases, in the livestock owning populations in Ethiopia, where there is close interaction between humans, animals and the environment.</p>