Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Isolates from Beef Cattle and Pigs in Japan

Rectal contents of beef cattle and pigs were collected between October 2010 and February 2011 in Japan. Campylobacter jejuni were isolated from 36.0% (90/250) of beef cattle from 88.0% (22/25) of beef farms. C. coli were isolated from 3.6% (9/250) of beef cattle from 16.0% (4/25) of beef farms and from 42.4% (106/250) of pigs from all 25 pig farms. As to enrofloxacin, 40.0% (36/90) of C. jejuni isolates and 66.7% (6/9) of C. coli isolates from beef cattle and 44.3% (47/106) of C. coli isolates from pigs were resistant. Additionally, 15.1% (16/106) of C. coli isolates from pigs were resistant to erythromycin and enrofloxacin. The high prevalence of Campylobacter carriers and significant antimicrobial resistance of the isolates were found.