The transfer of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains from poultry products to humans has become a public health issue, a possible cause being the indiscriminate antibiotics use in poultry production. Therefore, in this study we examined the susceptibility of 24 Campylobacter isolates from broiler chicken carcasses from supermarkets, informal markets, and a slaughterhouse in Maputo, Mozambique, to 13 antibiotics. The results of the study showed that the isolates were resistant to at least six antibiotics in four classes. Isolates from supermarkets were resistant to tetracycline, doxycycline, erythromycin, streptomycin, and cotrimoxazole (100%); penicillin (87.5%); and gentamycin and sulfamethoxazole (75%). Isolates from informal markets were resistant to tetracycline (100%); doxycycline and penicillin (87.5%); and erythromycin (75%), whereas isolates from the slaughterhouse were resistant to tetracycline, doxycycline, penicillin, and colistin (100%); erythromycin (87.5%); and streptomycin (75%). Overall, isolates from supermarkets showed higher resistance profiles (37.9%) than those from informal markets (31.5%) and slaughterhouses (30.6%); however, the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The findings of the study showed that there is a high circulation of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter in the broiler meat supply chain of Maputo, Mozambique, representing sources for human infections and highlighting the need for measures regulating antibiotics use in livestock production.
Keywords: Campylobacter; Mozambique; antimicrobial resistance; broiler chicken; food safety; poultry.