Abstract

Antibiotic resistance has continued to constitute serious problems not only in clinical
medicine but also in livestock management and veterinary medicine. The present study was
carried out to determine the occurrence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL)
producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) from fecal samples in Poultry and Cattle farming in Ovia
North East local government area, Benin City, Edo State.
A total of 100 fecal samples were collected randomly from apparently healthy cattle and
poultry birds. Heterotrophic bacteria, Coliforms and E. coli were cultured using standard
procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility profile of the E. coli isolates were carried out using Kirby
Bauer disc diffusion method. ESBL phenotypic detection was carried out using ETEST®
ESBL strips. Molecular detection of tem, shv, ctx-m and oxa genes were carried out using
standard molecular methods.
The mean heterotrophic bacteria count from chicken fecal samples was 5.56±0.21x106cfu/g,
while that of cattle fecal samples was 4.91±0.33x106cfu/g. The mean total coliform count
from chicken fecal samples was 3.73±0.14x106cfu/g while that of cattle fecal samples was
3.28±0.22x106cfu/g respectively. Sixty eight E. coli isolates were recovered from the 100
samples, out of which 13 (19.1%) suspected isolates for phenotypic ESBL production testing
were selected based on a ≥0.6 multiple resistance index criteria to the 10 broad-spectrum
antibiotics used during antibiotic susceptibility test. Five of these isolates were positive for
ESBL by ETEST® ESBL strips. Consequently, out of the 5, tem, oxa and shv genes were
detected in 2(40%), 3(60%) and 4(80%) of the isolates respectively. Only the ctx-m genes
(100%) was detected in all isolates. Cattle fecal samples had more carriage of extended
spectrum beta lactamase producing E. coli than chicken fecal samples, suggesting that E.
coli isolates from cattle possessed more beta-lactamase genes than E. coli isolates from
chicken. This study showed high resistance of E. coli isolates (15-42.50 %) to antibiotics and
the presence of beta-lactamase genes in these isolates from animals within the studied
locale. These findings are of significant concern to public health because of the inevitable
interaction between man, microorganisms and environment. Regular monitoring and
regulated use of antibiotics in livestock is recommended

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