Antibiogram of Extended Beta and Metallo-beta-lactamase E. coli O157:H7 Isolated from Pigs and Periwinkles sold in Rivers State

The emergence of multi-drug resistant and Extended Beta-lactamase producing E. coli O157:H7 is a general public health problem. Food samples of animal origin are undoubtedly the reservoirs of MDR which are in most cases transmitted to humans. The presence of extended beta-lactamase and Metallo-beta-lactamase producing E. coli O157:H7 was investigated amongst food samples and pig dung. A total of 240 samples comprising pig dung, pork, and periwinkles were collected from three different locations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Samples were analyzed for the presence of ESBL, MBL, and AmpC E. coli O157:H7 using standard microbiological methods. The results of the antibiotics susceptibility test of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from various samples revealed that out of the 16 E. coli O157:H7 isolated from the samples, the percentage resistance to Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole, Chloramphenicol, Amikacin, Cefetrizole, Gentamycin, Streptomycin, and Nalidixic was 62.5, 18.7, 100, 43.7, 50, 87.5, 87.5, 31.2, 50 and 56.3 %, respectively. While the antibiotics susceptibility pattern for E. coli O157 revealed that out of the 35 E. coli O157 isolated from the samples, the percentage resistance to Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole, Chloramphenicol, Amikacin, Cefetrizole, Gentamycin, Streptomycin and Nalidixic was 60, 22.9, 57.1, 42.9, 34.3, 60, 71.4, 42.9, 68.6 and 45.7 %, respectively. The results of the E. coli O157:H7 with Extended ─Lactamase, Metallo Beta-Lactamase, and Amp C ─Lactamase Production revealed that only 25.5 % were ESBL positive, 62.5 % MBL positive while 12.5 % was AmpC positive. The food samples do not only habour enteropathogenic E. coli but are reservoirs of beta-lactamases resistant genes which conferred multidrug resistance to the isolates. These food samples and dungs could serve as vehicles for the transmission of these resistant genes in the food chain. Thus, proper cooking of food samples and avoidance of pig dung is recommended.