Abstract
This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2020, in five large poultry slaughter slabs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Purposive sampling was used to select broilers and spent layers, from which meat and cloaca swabs were collected to determine the occurrence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli. Identification of isolates was done using API 20E, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed as per CLSI (2018) guidelines. EBSL (CTX-M, TEM, SHV) and plasmid mediated quinolone (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS and aac(6′)-Ib-cr) were screened using PCR. Out of 384 samples, 212 (55.2%) were positive for E. coli, of which 147 (69.3%) were resistant to multiple drugs (MDR). Highest resistance was detected to tetracycline (91.9%), followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (80.5%), ampicillin (70.9%), ciprofloxacin (40.2%) and 25% cefotaxime, gentamycin (10.8%) and imipenem (8.6%) (95% CI, p < 0.01). Out of the E. coli-positive samples, ten (10/212) (4.7%) were ESBL producing E. coli, of which CTX-M was detected in two isolates and quinolones resistant gene (qnrS) in eight, while TEM, SHV, qnrA, qnrB and aac(6′)-lb-cr were not detected. The high level of resistance and multidrug resistance imply these antibiotics are ineffective, add unnecessary cost to poultry farmers and certainly facilitate emergence and spread of resistance.
Highlights
In Tanzania, the demand for chicken meat was projected to increase from 130,000 tons in 2017 to 465,600 tons in 2020 [1], largely due to an increase in urbanization and trade liberation of live animals and products [2]
A total of 384 chicken meat and cloaca swabs samples were collected in the five selected poultry slabs in Dar es Salaam
We found no significant differences in multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli between broilers and spent layers, even though broilers are raised in a relatively short period compared with spent layers
Summary
In Tanzania, the demand for chicken meat was projected to increase from 130,000 tons in 2017 to 465,600 tons in 2020 [1], largely due to an increase in urbanization and trade liberation of live animals and products [2]. Poultry farming in Dar es Salaam is done both in urban and peri-urban areas, often in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions [4]. Such conditions are frequently associated with occurrence of diseases and use of excessive antimicrobials. Several studies conducted in Tanzania have shown both overuse of antibiotics and high levels of resistant organisms in poultry production systems [2,5,6]. Antibiotics are commonly used for disease prevention and therapeutic purposes in poultry production systems, are obtained over the counter and are administered without advice of veterinary officers [7]. The knowledge of most poultry keepers on prudent use of antibiotics and their effect is low, and antimicrobial prescribers and unregistered veterinary drug dealers have little prescription knowledge, which all together create an environment for emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance [5]
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