Comprehensive characterization reveals antimicrobial-resistant and potentially virulent Campylobacter isolates from poultry meat products in Southern Brazil

The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive characterization of 48 Campylobacter isolates obtained from broiler meat products in Southern Brazil, which had been previously typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile and the presence of 30 virulence-associated genes (VAGs) were investigated. Six AMR patterns and 26 VAG patterns were found, indicating a great genetic diversity among the isolates. It is noteworthy that 79.2% of Campylobacter isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents, and MDR was found in 35.4%, being more prevalent in C. jejuni isolates. Data analysis for the combination of AMR and VAG profiles indicated that the antimicrobial resistance and virulence profile were not related to a particular species.