Abstract
The global public health challenge posed by antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter strains is increasingly pressing. Originally treatable with antibiotics, these infections now face a clinical management dilemma due to resistance mechanisms such as antibiotic-inactivating enzymes, target alterations, and drug extrusion. This resistance emerges from a polyclonal pathogen population, co-infections, and antibiotic misuse in food animals. The agriculture industry’s excessive antibiotic use for growth promotion and infection prevention contributes to the spread of resistant bacteria. Particularly concerning are resistant Campylobacter strains, mainly C. jejuni and C. coli, linked to human pandemics via livestock-associated resistant bacteria, including tetracycline-resistant strains common in poultry. Agricultural antibiotic overuse significantly drives antimicrobial resistance in these species. Horizontal gene transfer further exacerbates this issue by creating “superbugs” resistant to multiple antibiotics. It is crucial to investigate how farming practices and biosecurity impact Campylobacter antimicrobial resistance, affecting both animal and human health. This chapter focuses on the primary mechanisms of Campylobacter antibiotic resistance and their transfer and persistence across species.