A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Effect of COVID‐19 Pandemic on Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Campylobacter
Species, Salmonella enterica and Yersinia enterocolitica in Southwest Finland 2018–2022





AuthorsOrpana, Tanja; Kallonen, Teemu; Hakanen, Antti J.; Gunell, Marianne

PublisherWiley

Publication year2026

Journal: APMIS

Article numbere70187

Volume134

Issue3

ISSN0903-4641

eISSN1600-0463

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/apm.70187

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://doi.org/10.1111/apm.70187

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/516251411

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

This study investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of fecal Campylobacter spp., Salmonella enterica, and Yersinia enterocolitica strains in Southwest Finland from 2018 to 2022. Results show that the number of travel-associated S. enterica and Campylobacter spp. declined markedly from autumn 2019 to autumn 2020 and have recovered gradually. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on bacterial strains isolated from PCR-positive fecal specimens. Resistance patterns fluctuated throughout the study period. Among C. jejuni, ciprofloxacin resistance averaged 58% in domestic (n = 155) and 88% travel-associated (n = 10) strains, while tetracycline resistance averaged 36% and 63%, respectively; erythromycin resistance was not detected. In S. enterica, resistance averaged 42% and 33% to ampicillin, 33% and 45% to fluoroquinolones, 4% and 6% to cefotaxime, and 0% and 2% to co-trimoxazole, in domestic (n = 24) and travel-associated (n = 32) strains, respectively. Among domestic Y. enterocolitica strains (n = 64), resistance averaged 7% to co-trimoxazole, 2% to ciprofloxacin, and 1% to cefotaxime; no travel-associated strains were reported. This study shows that lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of diagnosed enteropathogens and limited the emergence of resistant strains. Thus, our results reaffirm that travel remains the primary source of S. enterica infections in Finland.


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Open access publishing facilitated by Turun yliopisto, as part of the Wiley - FinELib agreement.


Last updated on 09/04/2026 10:52:35 AM