Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Infections in the United States, 2005–2018

Abstract

Background

Campylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial diarrhea in the United States; resistance to macrolides and fluoroquinolones limits treatment options. We examined the epidemiology of US Campylobacter infections and changes in resistance over time.

Methods

The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network receives information on laboratory-confirmed Campylobacter cases from 10 US sites, and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System receives a subset of isolates from these cases for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We estimated trends in incidence of Campylobacter infection, adjusting for sex, age, and surveillance changes attributable to culture-independent diagnostic tests. We compared percentages of isolates resistant to erythromycin or ciprofloxacin during 2005–2016 with 2017–2018 and used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association of international travel with resistance.

Results

Adjusted Campylobacter incidence remained stable or decreased for all groups analyzed since 2012. Among 2449 linked records in 2017–2018, the median patient age was 40.2 years (interquartile range, 21.6–57.8 years), 54.8% of patients were male, 17.2% were hospitalized, and 0.2% died. The percentage of resistant infections increased from 24.5% in 2005–2016 to 29.7% in 2017–2018 for ciprofloxacin (P < .001) and from 2.6% to 3.3% for erythromycin (P = .04). Persons with recent international travel had higher odds than nontravelers of having isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] varied from 1.7 to 10.6 by race/ethnicity) and erythromycin (aOR = 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–2.1).

Conclusions

Campylobacter incidence has remained stable or decreased, whereas resistance to antimicrobials recommended for treatment has increased. Recent international travel increased the risk of resistance.