Abstract

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Food borne campylobacteriosis is distributed all over the world. Raw poultry become contaminated during processing when intestinal contents contact the meat surfaces. Chicken meat is considered the primary source of infection with Campylobacter spp. in humans. Twenty (20) chicken samples were collected from different sites in Kano State which is located in North western Nigeria. All the samples were processed and analyzed in the laboratory using modified Charcoal Cefoperazone Deoxycholate Agar (mCCDA) selective media for isolation of Campylobacter species. Presumptive tests were carried out against the isolates Gram’s stain, catalase, oxidase and mortility tests; and confirmed to be Campylobacter jejuni using Hippurate hydrolysis test. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Syzigium aromaticum, Allium sativum, Zingiber officinale and Piper nigrumwere tested against Campylobacter jejuni via disc diffusion techniques. Commercially prepared antibiotics (Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Clindamycin, Ciprofloxacine and Cotrimoxazole) were also tested against Campylobacter jejuni.From the 20 chicken samples examined, 10 isolates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni. Based on the findings of this research work, occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni is (50%) from the samples tested, occurrence of this bacterium particularly in processed food samples is of serious public health importance. Statistical analysis revealed that there are significant differences (P< 0.05) in the bacterial count between (raw and processed) samples of chicken. S. aromaticum, Allium sativum, and Zingiber officinale extracts were active against Campylobacter jejuni. Among the antibiotics tested against C. jejuni, Ciproflaxacine (100%) and Erythromycin (79%) were active. All the plant extracts except Piper nigrum, showed antibacterial activity on C. jejuni. Both the ethanolic and aqueous plant extracts were not toxic (LC50 > 1000).

Keywords: K