EAST AFRICA – A comprehensive study published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) journal Emerging Infectious Diseases utilizing whole genome sequencing (WGS) has uncovered significant antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Campylobacter isolates from both human and poultry sources in Tanzania and Kenya, with 75 percent of samples displaying resistance.

Chicken consumption is a major factor in the prevalence of campylobacteriosis in sub-Saharan Africa. 

While WGS technology is becoming increasingly popular worldwide for managing foodborne pathogens, research on Campylobacter in Africa remains limited, particularly studies comparing isolates from humans and poultry. 

The recent research aims to address this gap and enhance understanding of how poultry-related campylobacteriosis contributes to rising AMR levels.

Researchers collected samples from poultry farms in Tanzania and clinics across Kenya, regions noted for a high occurrence of AMR in human and poultry isolates of C. jejuni and C. coli. 

The study involved WGS analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing on the collected Campylobacter isolates, revealing both similarities and distinctions between isolates from human clinical cases and those sourced from chicken farms. 

The findings indicated a broad diversity of sequence types (STs), with 78 STs identified in total. Of these, 27 have been previously recorded in other African nations and cataloged in the PubMLST database.

This research sheds light on ongoing challenges within the East African and African poultry industry as a whole. 

According to estimates, the continent is home to approximately 1.3 billion chickens, with indigenous varieties accounting for around 80 percent, particularly in rural settings. 

Historical data from Gueye (1998) and Goodger et al. (2002) also emphasize that indigenous chickens (IC) comprise a significant portion of the poultry population in Africa. 

Dessie (2003) reported that 78 percent of all chickens in sub-Saharan Africa are indigenous.

In East Africa, indigenous chicken populations vary by country. 

For instance, Ethiopia’s poultry count reaches nearly 65 million, with over 95 percent categorized as village chickens.

Rwanda has about 5.3 million birds, with indigenous chickens making up nearly 70 percent of that total. 

In Kenya, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries has reported a chicken population of 32 million, with more than 70 percent identified as indigenous.

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