Campylobacter spp. are zoonotic bacteria among the leading causes of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. In humans, they account for 5%-14% of all diarrheal disease in the world. In certain cases, extra intestinal manifestations may occur. Antibiotics can be considered for treatment in severe cases and in immunocompromised patients. This review addresses the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in humans in sub-Saharan Africa. It also aims to understand the impact of HIV in the prevalence, as well as to report data on antibiotic resistance and propose research priorities. PRISMA guidelines were followed in order to find studies on the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in humans in all countries from sub-Saharan Africa. Studies published between 2000 and 2020 were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, African Index Medicus, African Journals Online, Google Scholar and Science Direct. We have conducted a random-effect meta-analysis and calculated the proportion of resistant isolates to different antibiotics. We found 77 studies that described such occurrence in humans in 20 out of 53 sub-Saharan African countries. Campylobacter jejuni was the most prevalent species. Pooled prevalence was 9.9% (CI: 8.4%–11.6%). No major variations within the different sub-regions were found. Most studies reported Campylobacter spp. as the cause of diarrhea, mainly in children. Some studies reported the bacteria as a possible etiologic agent of acute flaccid paralysis and urinary tract infection. Campylobacter spp. presented a higher pooled prevalence in HIV infected patients, although not statistically significant. High proportions of resistant strains were reported for many antibiotics, including erythromycin and tetracycline. Research priorities should include investigation of the understudied species, extra intestinal manifestations, the impact of HIV infection and associated risk factors. Control strategies should be reinforced to contain the spread of this pathogen and drug resistance.

Key-words: Campylobacter, epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, sub-Saharan Africa.