Antimicrobial-resistant thermophilic Campylobacter species (TCS) pose tremendous public health problems because they are zoonotic, difficult to treat and usually harboured by food-producing animals (FPAs). This study ascertained the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 56 phenotypically identified TCS from slaughtered cattle, poultry, and humans in Enugu State, Nigeria. The presence of selected AMR and virulence genes harboured by the animal and human isolates were also detected and compared in 36 PCR-confirmed Campylobacter species. All the 56 TCS were multidrug-resistant as none were susceptible to ampicillin, penicillin-G, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cephalothin and metronidazole. The isolates were 92.9 %, 62.5 %, 92.9 %, 42.9 %, 26.8 %, 25 %, 28.6 %, 53.7 %, 30.1 %, 32.1 % and 55.4 % resistant to ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid, cefotaxime, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, gentamycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline, respectively. The top four most effective classes of antimicrobials were aminoglycosides > macrolides > amphenicol > fluoroquinolones. The AMR genes detected and the percentage of the isolates that harboured them were: aadE-1 (33.3 %), aphA-3–1 (36.1 %), tetO (44.4%), Bla_oxa-61 (61.1 %) and the multidrug efflux pump, cmeB (86.1%). Virulence genes detected and the corresponding percentage of TCS that harboured them were: cdtB (61.1 %), flaA (47.2 %), ciaB (38.9 %), and pldA (38.9 %). The cmeB was significantly detected in animal isolates (p = 0.018, OR = 5.1, CI = 0.7–6.6) while Bla_OXA-61 predominated in human isolates (p = 0.019, OR = 6.2). Likewise, ciaB virulence gene was mostly detected (p = 0.019, OR = 6.4, CI = 1.3–25) in animal isolates. The findings underscore the roles of FPAs in the zoonotic dissemination of Campylobacter-associated AMR and virulence genes in the study area. This warrants the adoption of One Health control strategies to limit spread of the multidrug-resistant zoonotic Campylobacter species.

具有抗药性的嗜热弯曲杆菌(TCS) 会带来巨大的公共卫生问题，因为它们是人畜共患的、难以治疗且通常由食用动物 (FPA) 携带。本研究确定了来自尼日利亚埃努古州屠宰牛、家禽和人类的 56 种表型鉴定的 TCS 的表型抗菌药物耐药性 (AMR)。还在 36 个 PCR 确认的弯曲杆菌属物种中检测并比较了动物和人类分离株所携带的选定 AMR 和毒力基因的存在。所有56个TCS均具有多重耐药性，因为没有一个对氨苄西林、青霉素G、阿莫西林克拉维酸、头孢噻吩和甲硝唑敏感。分离株对头孢曲松、萘啶酸、头孢噻肟、恩诺沙星、环丙沙星的耐药率为 92.9%、62.5%、92.9%、42.9%、26.8%、25%、28.6%、53.7%、30.1%、32.1% 和 55.4% , 链霉素,分别为庆大霉素、红霉素、阿奇霉素、氯霉素和四环素。最有效的四类抗菌药物是氨基糖苷类>大环内酯类>氨酚>氟喹诺酮类。检测到的 AMR 基因以及携带这些基因的分离株百分比为：aadE-1 (33.3 %) 、aphA-3–1 (36.1 %) 、tetO (44.4%) 、Bla _oxa-61 (61.1 %) 和多药外排泵，cmeB (86.1%)。检测到的毒力基因以及携带它们的相应 TCS 百分比为：cdtB (61.1%) 、flaA (47.2%) 、ciaB (38.9%) 和pldA (38.9%)。cmeB在动物分离株中显着检测到（p = 0.018，OR = 5.1，CI = 0.7–6.6），而Bla _OXA-61在人类分离株中占主导地位（p = 0.019，OR = 6.2）。同样，ciaB毒力基因主要在动物分离株中检测到（p = 0.019，OR = 6.4，CI = 1.3–25）。研究结果强调了 FPA 在研究区域弯曲杆菌相关 AMR 和毒力基因人畜共患传播中的作用。这就需要采取“One Health”控制策略来限制多重耐药人畜共患弯曲杆菌的传播。