Abstract
Globally, resistance to antimicrobial drugs in food animals is on the rise. Escherichia coli of livestock, though commensal in nature, serves as reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes with the potential of disseminating them. This study sought to examine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Escherichia coli in broilers, pigs, and cattle in the Kumasi Metropolis and undertake molecular characterisation of the resistances. Faecal E. coli isolates (n = 48) were obtained from 10 broiler farms, (n = 43) from 15 pig farms, and (n = 42) from cattle from the Kumasi Abattoir using standard bacteriological techniques. The Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method was employed in testing the sensitivities of 133 E. coli isolates to 15 antimicrobials. All 48 isolates from broilers presented no resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and ceftiofur. A 100% resistance to meropenem was observed in pig and cattle isolates. Multidrug resistance (MDR) across animal groups was 95.8% (n = 46), 95.3% (n = 41), and 64.3% (n = 27) for broilers, pigs, and cattle, respectively. Twenty-eight isolates presenting phenotypic resistance to aminopenicillins and cephalosporins were screened for the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes by PCR. One isolate from poultry and another from cattle tested positive for the blaCTX-M ESBL gene. There were no positives for the blaTEM and blaSHV ESBL genes. Commensal E. coli of food animal origin represents an important reservoir of antimicrobial resistance that transfers resistance to pathogenic and nonpathogenic microbes affecting humans and animals. There is an urgent need to institute routine surveillance for the establishment of the mechanisms and molecular orientation of resistance in these organisms.
Highlights
IntroductionEscherichia coli, though a commensal in the gut of humans and livestock, serves as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes as they are exposed to the pressures applied on the gut flora of the organism throughout its lifetime [5]
Introduction e alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance worldwide has triggered responses from major health regulatory bodies. e World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have in recent times laid downstrategic plans to understand and curb the menace which poses a threat to the health and existing drug reserves for treatment of human and animal infections [1, 2]
All (n 48, 100%) isolates from broilers did not show any resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and ceftiofur (Table 1). e isolates were highly resistant to sulfonamides and tetracycline (95.7% each), with moderate resistance to nalidixic acid (61.7%) and ciprofloxacin (23.4%)
Summary
Escherichia coli, though a commensal in the gut of humans and livestock, serves as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes as they are exposed to the pressures applied on the gut flora of the organism throughout its lifetime [5]. As a result, these strains may acquire certain resistant genes and/or undergo mutations that may enhance the microbial homeostasis in the intestinal environment [6]. Is study focused on determining the antimicrobial resistance patterns of commensal E. coli in the faeces of broilers, pigs, and cattle to commonly used antibiotics in human and animal husbandry in the Kumasi Metropolis
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