Susceptibility of Arcobacter butzleri isolates to 23 antimicrobial agents

Aims: The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of Arcobacter butzleri isolates to various antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of infectious diseases in humans and animals. Methods and Results: Thirty-nine A. butzleri strains isolated from broiler chickens were tested for their susceptibility to 23 antimicrobial agents using a disc diffusion method. All isolates were resistant to aztreonam, cefuroxime sodium, cephalothin, orbenin, oxacillin, penicillin G and trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazol. Of the 39 isolates tested, 26 were also found resistant to amoxycillin, amoxycillin/clavulanic acid and ampicillin. One isolate was resistant to, and four showed intermediate level of resistance to, erythromycin. All isolates were susceptible to amikacin, chloramphenicol, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, nalidixic acid, tetracyclines and tobramycin. Conclusions: The majority of the isolates were found resistant to antibiotics commonly used for the treatment of infectious bacterial diseases in humans and animals. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study shows that A. butzleri strains vary in their resistance to certain kinds of antibiotics and caution should be taken when choosing a suitable antibiotic for the treatment of disease(s) caused by this organism.