Mountain Top University Library

Campylobacter species have been reported as one of the causal agents implicated in cases of diarrhea in children under 5 years. In developing countries, incidences of Campylobacter species have been under-reported in diarrhea cases. This study is aimed at investigating the sources, molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter spp. associated with diarrhea in children under 5 years in Ogun State. Stool samples (n=300) were collected from diarrheic out-patient children, while fresh produce (n=252) and meat (n=48) samples were collected from patient households and environs within Abeokuta and Obafemi-Owode Local
government Area (LGA). The isolates were recovered on the Campylobacter blood-free selective agar base and identified using biochemical tests and multiplex PCR. Risk factors that predisposes children to diarrhoea infections were also determined. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine the sensitivity of the strains against 11 antibiotics. The overall prevalence
of Campylobacter in diarrheic children and food sources were 48% (144/300) and 25% (74/300), respectively. The PCR analyses confirmed 63 strains of Campylobacter from human stool samples and 39 strains from food sources. The most predominant species is the C. coli which had a prevalence of 38.6% followed by C. jejuni (25.3%), C. lari (19.3%), C. fetus (14.5%), and C. upsaliensis (2.4%). Majority of Campylobacter strains from human samples in this study were resistant to ciprofloxacin (73%) and cotrimoxazole (66%). This study highlighted Campylobacter spp as a major aetiology agent of diarrhea infection in children under 5 years in Ogun state, Nigeria. The Campylobacter strains were antimicrobial resistant necessitating the need to develop appropriate control measures on indiscriminate antibiotics usage to curtail the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. Keywords: Diarrhea, under 5 children, Campylobacter spp, antimicrobial resistance, molecular characterization