Background Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae represent the most relevant reservoir of resistance genes such as metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) and AmpC genes that give them the undue advantage to resist antimicrobial onslaught. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of MBL (blaIMP-1, blaIMP-2, blaVIM-1, blaVIM-2) and AmpC (blaFOX, blaDHA, blaCMY, blaACC) resistance genes in aforementioned GNB collected from abattoir and poultry sources in Nigeria. Results In total, 370 isolates were collected from abattoir tables (n = 130), anal region of cows (n = 120), and the cloacae of poultry birds (n = 120). The test isolates showed high rate of resistance to cephalosporins and carbapenems. The MBLs were phenotypically detected in 22 E. coli, 22 P. aeruginosa, and 18 K. pneumoniae isolates using combined disc test (CDT). However, only 11 E. coli, 24 P. aeruginosa, and 18 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were phenotypically confirmed to be AmpC producers using cefoxitin-cloxacillin double disk synergy test (CC-DDST). MBL encoding genes (particularly the blaIMP-1 genes and blaIMP-2 genes) were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 12 (54.6%) E. coli, 15 (83.3%) K. pneumoniae, and 16 (72.7%) P. aeruginosa isolates. AmpC genes (particularly the blaCMY genes and blaFOX genes) were found in a total of 5 (29.4%) E. coli isolates, 5 (27.8%) isolates of K. pneumoniae, and 10 (41.7%) isolates of P. aeruginosa. Conclusions Our study showed the circulation of MBL and AmpC genes in GNB from abattoir and poultry origin in Nigeria. Adoption of regular control policies is necessary to reduce the spread of these species as soon as possible, especially in poultry and slaughterhouses.

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Objective: This study evaluated the occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Salmonella species isolated from various poultry products including chicken meat, poultry eggs, poultry bird's drinking water, and poultry feed. Materials and methods: A total of 79 samples comprising of chicken meat (n=20), egg shell (n=15), poultry egg contents (n=18), drinking water (n=14), and poultry feed (n=12) were bacteriologically and microscopically analyzed for the isolation of Salmonella species. Results: Overall, this study reported a high prevalence of Salmonella species (62%) from various poultry products especially in poultry (chicken) meat and poultry egg contents where the percentage occurrence of Salmonella species was 100% and 20.4% respectively. The antibiogram conducted on the Salmonella species isolated from the various poultry samples reveal that all the isolates were multi-drug resistant to more than 50% of the tested antibiotics especially to tetracycline, gentamicin, tobramycin, nitrofurantoin and imipenem. However, most of the Salmonella species were also found to be highly susceptible to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ertapenem and ceftazidime. It was also observed in this study that the highest level of resistance to the tested antibiotics was recorded in Salmonella species isolated from poultry meat samples. Conclusion: Salmonellosis due to the consumption of contaminated or infected poultry products could pose serious public health problem to the general public if allowed. Thus, poultry farms and other poultry product outlets should be operated under sanitized conditions that ward-off the incidence of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella. The use of antibiotics as growth promoting agents and prophylaxis in the production of poultry birds in this region should be discouraged -since such practices allowed drug-resistant bacteria to emerge and spread in the community.

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This study was designed to assess the effect to apple cider vinegar (ACV) on oxidative stress biomarkers in male and female Wistar rats exposed to chronic restraint stress. Severe and persistent stress elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by metabolic and physiological processes; causing cellular damage. Thirty (30) Adult Wistar rats of both sexes weighing about 150 -200 g were divided into 3 groups each consisting of a male and female subgroup and given the following treatments once a day for 21 days: Normal control group received 0.5 ml distilled water orally, the restraint stress (RS) group was exposed to chronic restraint stress 6 hours daily while the Apple cider vinegar (ACV)-treated group received 4 ml/kg of apple cider vinegar orally in addition to chronic restraint stress 6 hours daily. The rats were sacrificed after the experimental period and blood was collected via cardiac puncture for assessing oxidative stress biomarkers. ACV (4 ml/kg) treatment decreased lipid peroxidation (MDA) and serum catalase (CAT) activity while upregulating endogenous superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The findings of this study show that the female Wistar rats are more predisposed to the antioxidant effect of ACV than the males.