Occurrence And Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns Of Campylobacter Spp. From Stray Cats In Kota Bharu, Kelantan

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement for the course DVT 55204 – Research Project. Campylobacter spp., are common in animal gastrointestinal tract, which its opportunism can cause diarrhoea and enteritis in humans and animals. Their zoonotic potential raises concerns about stray cat interactions with humans. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Campylobacter further complicates treatment, posing a global public health threat. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp. in stray cats from Kelantan, Malaysia. Out of 61 samples collected, Campylobacter jejuni was detected in 4 samples, while Campylobacter coli was not identified. No significant associations between Campylobacter jejuni prevalence and variables like age, gender, and breed. However, body condition score (P = 0.0154) and health status (P = 0.0039) were significantly associated with the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni thus making malnourished or unhealthy cats more likely to have Campylobacter jejuni. Antimicrobial resistance testing on the other hand revealed complete resistance (100%) to Trimethoprim, Nalidixic Acid, Ceftazidime, and Compound Sulfonamide. Partial resistance was observed for Streptomycin (66.67%), while other antibiotics, including Ciprofloxacin and Enrofloxacin, showed varied resistance levels (33.33% resistant, intermediate, and susceptible). Overall in conclusion, this study found a low occurrence rate of Campylobacter jejuni from stray cats in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, with malnourished and sick cats at higher risk of infection and improvement of the animal welfare plus enhancement of public health measures are very much needed.
Keywords: Campylobacter spp, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), stray cats, zoonotic potential, Public health