Research Article
Nusrat Nahar* and R
Abstract
Campylobacter species is responsible for 400-500 million diarrhea cases worldwide every year. Emergence of antibiotic resistance has further complicated the scenario. A wide range of virulence factors and resistance genes are present in Campylobacter species and it is hypothesized there are genotypic variations in the prevalence of these genes. The study was conducted to investigate the presence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes as well as to investigate difference in prevalence rate based on genotype through in silico tools. Among 26 species studied, sixteen isolates (61.54%) had the cdtB gene that breaks the double helix bonds. The cdtA genes were detected in ten (38.46%) C. jejuni strains while fifty percent (n=13) isolates harbored the cdtC genes. Ten isolates that harboured all three adjacent cdt genes were most toxigenic. The lipo-oligosaccharides associated genes, cgtB and wlaN, responsible for β-1,3 galactosyltransferase production, were found in 7.69% and 30.77% of the isolates, respectively. About 57.69% isolates expressed waaC genes. Invasion protein ciaB, outer membrane phospholipase A pldA and IV secretory protein virB11 were found in 53.85%, 34.62% and 7.69% of the isolates, respectively. Six isolates (23.08%) expressed both tetO and tetA genes while one isolate expressed only tetA resistance gene. Seven isolates (26.92%) had changes in gyrB genes that conferred the fluoroquinolone resistance. In silico PFGE typing found that genotype 3 contained all the virulence genes except cgtB gene while genotype 3 and 4 contained mutated gyrB gene. Genotype 1 and 5 contained no virulence and antibiotic resistance genes. Our data helps to predict the possibility of the presence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes and helps to select appropriate antibiotic that are more efficacious.