Honey is a very complex biological product. It has great diversity, giving it a multitude of properties, both nutritionally and therapeutically. This study aimed to study the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of honeys collected during the dry and rainy seasons in the different phytogeographical areas of Benin. The study revealed that all honeys had pH, water content, electrical conductivity, ash content, free acidity, total sugars, and reducing sugars, respectively, ranging within 3.65-4.09; 12.07-13.16%; 530.25-698.50 s/cm; 0.42-0.53%; 35.67-40.52 meq/kg; 60-70%; and 58-70%. Moisture content, total sugars, and reducing sugars varied very significantly ( < 0.05 to < 0.001) from one area to another and from one season to another. However, only the production season has a significant influence ( < 0.05) on the pH of the honey. With regard to the ash content, free acidity, and electrical conduction, no significant difference ( > 0.05) between the zones or between the seasons was observed. The results of the microbiological characterization showed that there is heterogeneity in the microbial load. These results have shown that these honeys meet international standards and their characterization will make it possible to obtain Beninese quality labels.

A wide range of clinical samples were screened for identification of Staphylococcus aureus, their antibiotic sensitivity profile and the production of different leucotoxin and epidermolysins was evaluated. Out of 2,040 biological samples (collected from pus, urine, sperms, genital, catheter and blood of hospitalized and extra-hospital patients) screened, 123 pure cultures of S. aureus colonies were isolated. 48.78% of S. aureus were resistant to methicillin (MRSA), while 78% of them were isolated from extra-hospital patients. The S. aureus isolated from urines, pus and blood produced Panton and Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin, while the leucotoxin lukE-lukD was exclusively encountered by S. aureus isolated from pus samples. None of the bacterial colony isolated produced epidermolysin toxins A and B. In addition, 3.25% of MRSA and 8.13% of methicillin sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) produced PVL respectively. Our results indicated high frequency rate of MRSA in extra-hospital screened samples isolated from various types of infection. This high resistance rate combined with toxin production increases the virulence of S. aureus colonies and put therefore at risk the life of the patients in developing countries where auto-medication is not controlled. There is the need to instruct the population in order to avoid further widening of MRSA territory.

The meat processing conditions expose it to several contaminations including the microbial. The present study was designed to assess the antibiotic resistance and toxin production by Escherichia coli strains isolated bovine carcasses collected in the slaughterhouse of Cotonou / Porto-Novo in Benin. Thus, a total of 240 samples was collected from 60 beef carcasses by the destructive method. The E. coli strains were identified by conventional microbiological and biochemical methods. The susceptibility of strains to 15 antibiotics was assessed by disc diffusion method on agar medium. The phenotypic identification of strains producing penicillinase and BSLE was performed respectively by the tubes acidimetric test and the double halo method. PCR was used to detect genes encoding the toxins and β-lactamases. The results showed that 57.92% of the samples were contaminated with E. coli, with highest rate recorded in the samples collected from arm. The susceptibility to 15 antibiotics tested has shown that all the isolated strains were multi-resistant with a high proportion to ceftriaxone (88.49%). the lowest resistance rate (~1%) was recorded with gentamicin. The E. coli strains producing β-lactamase carried multidrug resistance genes blaSHV (26.92%) and blaTEM (40.29%). To end, our data revealed the presence of EHEC pathovar (12.82%), responsible for the "traveler" disease. Thus, meat coming from slaughterhouses are therefore a potential source of food poisoning. Keywords: Bovine carcasses, E. coli, antibiotics, β lactamase, Bénin RésuméLes conditions de traitement de la viande l'exposent à des contaminations de tout genre dont celle microbienne. La présente étude a eu pour but d'évaluer la résistance aux antibiotiques et la production de toxines par les souches d'Escherichia coli isolées des carcasses bovines de l'abattoir Cotonou/Porto-Novo au Bénin. Pour ce faire, un total de 240 échantillons a été collecté sur 60 carcasses bovines par la méthode destructive. Les souches d'E. coli ont été identifiées par les méthodes microbiologiques et biochimiques conventionnelles. La susceptibilité des souches aux antibiotiques a été évaluée par la méthode de diffusion des disques sur milieu gélosé. L'identification phénotypique des souches productrices de la pénicillinase et de BSLE a été faite respectivement par le test d'acidimétrique en tubes et la méthode du doublehalo. La PCR a permis de rechercher les gènes codant pour les toxines et les β-lactamases. Les résultats ont révélé que 57,92% des échantillons analysés étaient contaminés par E. coli, avec un taux beaucoup plus élevé (70%) au niveau du bras. La European Scientific Journal November 2016 edition vol.12, No.33 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) e -ISSN 1857 495 susceptibilité des souches aux 15 antibiotiques testés montre que toutes les souches étaient multi-résistantes avec une forte proportion à la ceftriaxone (88,49%). Par contre, une faible résistantes à la gentamicine (1,44%) était observée. Les souches E. coli productrices de β lactamase étaient porteuses des gèn...

The present study aimed at biochemical and molecular characterization of Escherichia coli strains isolated from horticultural products and irrigation water of Cotonou. The samples were collected from 12 market gardeners of 4 different sites. Rapid' E. coli medium was used for identification of E. coli strains and the antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by the agar disk diffusion method. The β-lactamases production was sought by the liquid acidimetric method. The genes coding for β-lactamases and toxins were identified by PCR method. The results revealed that about 34.95% of the analyzed samples were contaminated by E. coli. Cabbages were the most contaminated by E. coli (28.26%) in dry season. All isolated strains were resistant to amoxicillin. The penicillinase producing E. coli carried blaTEM (67.50%), blaSHV (10%), and blaCTX-M (22.50%) genes. The study revealed that the resistance genes such as SLTI (35.71%), SLTII (35.71%), ETEC (7.15%), and VTEC (21.43%) were carried. Openly to the found results and considering the importance of horticultural products in Beninese food habits, it is important to put several strategies aiming at a sanitary security by surveillance and sensitization of all the actors on the risks of some practices.

Staphylococcus species are considered as one of the major pathogens causing outbreaks of food poisoning. The aim of this work was to assess the toxinogenic and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the strains of Staphylococcus spp isolated from three types of fermented dairy products (yoghourt, millet dêguê, and couscous dêguê). The isolation of the Staphylococcus strains was performed on selective media, and their identification was done using biochemical and molecular methods. The susceptibility at 15 antibiotics tested was assessed using the disc diffusion method. The immunodiffusion method was used to evaluate the toxin (luk-E/D, luk-S/F, ETA, and ETB) production. Biofilm formation was qualitatively researched on microplates. Less than half (42.77%) of the collected samples were contaminated with Staphylococcus spp. The yoghourt and millet dêguê samples collected in the afternoon were more contaminated than those collected in the morning. The S. aureus, S. capitis, and S. xylosus strains, respectively, were the most present. S. aureus was the only coagulase-positive species identified in our samples. The highest resistance to antibiotics was observed with penicillin (100%) irrespective of the nature of the sample. S. aureus strains were highly (71.4%) resistant to methicillin. The S. aureus strains were the most biofilm-forming (27.6%), followed by S. capitis strains. Panton and Valentine’s leukocidin (luk-S/F) was produced by only S. aureus strains at a rate of 8.33%. Only coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) produced Luk-E/D. The high rates of Staphylococci contamination indicate bad hygiene quality during the production and distribution of dairy products. It is, therefore, necessary to improve the quality of fermented milk products.