Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Campylobacter, Salmonella and Listeria in Ducks

Ducks are more frequently contaminated with Campylobacter than Salmonella, according to a review by scientists in Malaysia, and the bacteria exhibited varying resistance to multiple antibiotics. There was very little information on Listeria contamination in ducks.

21 May 2012

3 minute read

By: Jackie Linden

Campylobacter, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes are important bacterial pathogens associated with gastroenteritis, according to a paper soon to be published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease.

Frederick Adzitey and colleagues at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Pulau Pinang in Malaysia report that the consumption of poultry meat and their products is considered as a major and leading source of human infection. While surveys of chicken meat and products and their association with foodborne pathogens are widely available, such information on ducks is scarce. Their survey examines the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes isolated from ducks.

Data obtained from key surveys are summarised.

The observed prevalence of these pathogens and their resistance to various antibiotics varies from one study to the other. The mean prevalence (and range means from individual surveys) are duck 53.0 per cent (0.0 to 83.3 per cent), duck meat and parts 31.6 per cent (12.5 to 45.8 per cent), and duck rearing and processing environment 94.4 per cent (92.0 to 96.7 per cent) for Campylobacter spp.

For Salmonella spp., the mean prevalence data are duck 19.9 per cent (3.3 to 56.9 per cent), duck meat and parts 28.4 per cent (4.4 to 75.6 per cent), duck egg, shell and content 17.5 per cent (0.0 to 4.17 per cent) and duck rearing and processing environment 32.5 per cent (10.5 to 82.6 per cent).

Studies on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of L. monocytogenes in ducks are rare compared to Campylobacter and Salmonella, although ducks have been noted to be a potential source for these foodborne pathogens.

From their survey, Adzitey and co–authors concluded that ducks are more frequently contaminated with Campylobacter than Salmonella. Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. exhibited varying resistance to multiple antibiotics.

Reference

Adzitey F., N. Huda and G.R.R. Ali. 2012. Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and L. monocytogenes in ducks: a review. Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. [ahead of print]. doi:10.1089/fpd.2011.1109.