Occurrence, Virulence Gene Profile, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Spp. in Ready‐to‐Eat and Processed Chicken and Fish Products in Mymensingh Municipality of Bangladesh

Ready‐to‐eat (RTE) and processed foods are recognized as important vehicles for Campylobacter spp., which is a leading cause of human gastroenteritis. This study is aimed at investigating the distribution, virulence genes, and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Campylobacter spp. in RTE and processed chicken‐ and fish‐based foods in Mymensingh Municipality of Bangladesh. A total of 170 RTE and processed food samples of chicken ( n = 130) and fish origin ( n = 40) were purchased from confectionery shops, restaurants, and super shops in Mymensingh Municipality in Bangladesh. Campylobacter spp. were identified by following FDA‐Bacteriological Analytical Manual. The virulence genes ( iam , racR , cad , cdtA , cdtB , cdtC , flaA , virB11 , and pldA ) were identified by multiplex PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) of the isolates was performed following CLSI protocol. The overall distribution of Campylobacter spp. was 27.6% in RTE and processed food samples. Chicken‐origin foods accounted for 28.5% of Campylobacter distribution, whereas fish‐origin foods made up 25%. Among different sources, distribution was highest in samples from confectionery shops (31.3%), followed by restaurants (27.3%) and super shops (20%). Four virulence genes ( cdtA , cdtB , cdtC , and pldA ) were detected. Seven (14.9%) isolates harbored any of the four genes; however, cdtA was the most frequent (6.4%). The isolates showed the highest resistance to clindamycin (93.6%), followed by cefotaxime (70.2%), and the lowest to gentamicin (19.2%). About 80.8% isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR), and 12.8% isolates were extensively drug resistant. Findings from the present study highlighted RTE and processed foods as a potential source of Campylobacter spp. Implementation of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) measures by food producers, maintenance of hygienic practices during handling, packaging, and selling of food products are essential to ensure safe food.