Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from beef and bovine milk in Gondar town, Amhara region, Ethiopia

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of foodborne diarrheal zoonotic diseases globally, often transmitted through contaminated food. Especially in Ethiopia, due to practices such as consuming raw milk and undercooked meat, as well as weak antibiotic regulations, the risk is higher. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni in raw cow’s milk and beef carcass swabs in Gondar, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2022 and June 2023, collecting raw milk samples (n = 194) and beef carcass swabs (n = 196) using stratified multistage sampling. Raw milk was collected from the farm and cafeteria, and carcass swabs from 50 cm² areas of the neck, brisket, flank, and rump regions of beef. Campylobacter jejuni was identified by biochemical tests and amplification of the “hipO” gene, and antibiotic resistance was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. A high prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni was found in beef (21.9%) and cow’s milk (19.6%), with older animals showing the highest rate (25%). Although not statistically significant, the prevalence was higher on farms with poor hygiene (23.53%) compared to those with better conditions (p > 0.05) (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.42 to 3.32). Contamination of beef increased significantly after evisceration (p = 0.019) (OR = 3.24, 95% CI: 1.21 to 8.68). Regarding antimicrobial resistance, beef isolates showed higher resistance to Cefoxitin, Nalidixic acid, and Erythromycin than milk isolates. Notably, 44.4% of the total isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance to Tetracycline, Polymyxin B, and Erythromycin classes, with 28.4% originating from beef swabs. The study outlined a concerning level of Campylobacter jejuni prevalence and significant levels of multidrug resistance to antibiotics commonly used in both humans and animals. This underscores the necessity for a One Health approach to tackle these challenges.