Campylobacteriosis Agents in Meat Carcasses Collected from Two District Municipalities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Raw meats are sometimes contaminated with species from animal faeces, and meats have repeatedly been implicated in foodborne infections. This study evaluated the prevalence, virulence genes, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and resistance gene determinants in species isolated from retailed meat carcasses. A total of 248 raw meat samples were collected from butcheries, supermarkets, and open markets; processed for enrichment in Bolton broth; and incubated at 42 °C for 48 h in 10% CO. Thereafter, the broths were streaked on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) plates and incubated at the same conditions and for the same amount of time. After incubation, colonies were isolated and confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction using specific oligonucleotide sequences used for the identification of the genus , species, and their virulence markers. The patterns of antimicrobial resistance profiles of the identified isolates were studied by disk diffusion method against 12 antibiotics, and relevant resistance genes were assessed by PCR. From culture, 845 presumptive isolates were obtained, of which 240 (28.4%) were identified as genus . These were then characterised into four species, of which had the highest prevalence rate (22.08%), followed by (16.66%) and (3.73%). The virulence genes detected included (43.14%), (37.25%), (23.53%), (18.63%), and (1.96%), and some of the isolates co-harboured two to four virulence genes. Of the 12 antibiotics tested, the highest phenotypic resistance displayed by isolates was against clindamycin (100%), and the lowest level of resistance was observed against imipenem (23.33%). The frequency of resistance genes detected included (91.78%), (68.82%), (61.76%), (55%), (40.98%), (38.71%), (18.29%), (12.90%), and (2.15%). There is a high incidence of species in meat carcasses, suggesting these to be a reservoir of campylobacteriosis agents in this community, and as such, consumption of undercooked meats in this community is a potential health risk to consumers.