Seasonal variation in the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species in milk and milk products in Ethiopia

Seasonal variation in the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species in the Ethiopian dairy value chain was investigated. Dairy food samples (456) were collected in the dry and wet seasons in three regions of Ethiopia. Campylobacter species were detected in 20 % of samples collected in the wet season. The overall prevalence did not differ significantly between the wet and dry seasons. However, in the Oromia region, there was a 5 times greater chance of finding Campylobacter species in milk and milk products during the wet season than in the dry season. Among Campylobacter-positive samples collected countrywide, 89 % were contaminated with Campylobacter jejuni, and 11 % with Campylobacter coli. In the dry season, all Campylobacter-positive samples were contaminated with C. jejuni. Most Campylobacter species were resistant to tetracycline (89 %), followed by erythromycin (74 %), and ciprofloxacin (57 %); 43 % of the isolates were resistant to more than two drugs from two different classes.