Abstract
BackgroundTypically, raw meat can be contaminated with antibiotic resistant pathogens at unhygienic slaughter and sale points. Consumption of meat contaminated with antibiotic resistant E. coli is associated with grave health care consequences. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial quality of raw meat, the antimicrobial susceptibility and Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) production in E. coli isolates from raw meat.ResultsTotal Plate Counts exceeded the acceptable limit of 5.0 log CFU/ cm2 in 60.5% (124/205) of raw meat samples. Total Coliform Counts in 70.7% (145/205) of samples were in excess of the acceptable limit of 2.5 log CFU/cm2. E. coli was detected in about half of raw meat samples (48%), ranging from 9.5–79.0% among the slaughter sites. Isolates were susceptible to meropenem (100%), ceftriaxone (99%), cefotaxime (98%), chloramphenicol (97%), gentamycin (97%), ciprofloxacin (92%) and amikacin (92%), but resistant to ampicillin (57%), tetracycline (45%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (21%) and cefuroxime (17%). Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was identified in 22% of the isolates. The blaTEM gene was detected in 4% (4/98) of E. coli isolates in this study.ConclusionThe levels of microbial contamination of raw meat in this study were unacceptable. Meat handlers and consumers are at risk of foodborne infections from E. coli including ESBL producing E. coli that are resistant to most antibiotics in use. We recommend an enhanced surveillance for antibiotic resistance in food products for the early detection of emerging resistant bacteria species in the food chain.
Highlights
Raw meat can be contaminated with antibiotic resistant pathogens at unhygienic slaughter and sale points
124 (60.5%) samples from raw meat in this study exceeded the maximum limit of 5.0 log Colony forming unit (CFU)/cm2, for total aerobic counts for cattle, sheep and goat carcasses set by the Ghana Standards Authority and the European Commission Regulation (EC) on the microbial criteria for food stuffs
More than half of all samples (70.7%) had coliform counts exceeding the acceptable limit of 2.5 log CFU/ cm2
Summary
Raw meat can be contaminated with antibiotic resistant pathogens at unhygienic slaughter and sale points. Results: Total Plate Counts exceeded the acceptable limit of 5.0 log CFU/ cm in 60.5% (124/205) of raw meat samples. E. coli was detected in about half of raw meat samples (48%), ranging from 9.5–79.0% among the slaughter sites. Food products of animal origin contaminated with drug resistant bacteria may provide a direct route for human colonization [3]. Selective pressure due to antibiotic use in primary production is considered as a major source of antibiotic resistant bacteria in livestock products, sanitary conditions at slaughter, sale and processing points may affect the pattern and intensity of spread along the food chain [5, 6]. The presence of pathogenic strains of E. coli in meat and dairy products has been associated with foodborne disease outbreaks in humans [8]
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