In this study, topoisomerase mutations in ciprofloxacin-resistant and -susceptible Campylobacter jejuni were analysed by DNA sequencing. In certain ciprofloxacin-resistant C. jejuni, the mechanism of resistance was complex. The Thr86-Ala substitution in the GyrA protein appears to play a role in increasing the minimum inhibitory concentration of nalidixic acid only. In addition, isolates with this amino acid change and those resistant to quinolones but lacking a mutation in the GyrA quinolone resistance-determining region could be derived from two different clones. Based on gyrA and gyrB polymorphisms, C. jejuni isolates from the Dakar region of Senegal appeared to be less diverse than those from other countries. Moreover, C. jejuni isolates in Senegal appeared to differ from European isolates by lack of a silent mutation at codon 120 of the gyrA gene. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy All rights reserved.