Campylobacter jejuni, human infections across the United States, 2013–2019
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global public health threat, particularly in foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni, the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. Despite public health interventions aimed at controlling resistant strains, the prevalence of AMR among Campylobacter isolates continues to rise in the United States.
Campylobacter infections are the most common foodborne illnesses in the U.S., affecting an estimated 1.5 million people annually. A new study analyzes publicly available AMR monitoring data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), focusing on trends and regional and demographic differences in resistance among domestically acquired C. jejuni infections from 2013 to 2019.
The study identifies critical AMR trends among 7,624 C. jejuni isolates in the U.S., highlighting a high prevalence of resistance, particularly to tetracyclines (45.96%) and quinolones (27.45%). While tetracycline resistance exhibited a declining trend, quinolone resistance showed a concerning increase. The highest resistance levels were observed in the 20–39 age group, suggesting that certain demographics are disproportionately affected.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary source of Campylobacter infections in humans is the consumption of contaminated poultry. Inadequate sanitation and improper cooking methods are the leading causes of infection.
More than 100 people die from Campylobacter infections annually in the U.S.
