Antibiotic-resistant Pattern of Isolated Bacteria from Selected Foods Sold at the Street Side Stalls and Restaurants of Tangail Municipality, Bangladesh

Abstract

Objectives:: The goal of this investigation was to determine the microbial load with special emphasis on total viable count (TVC), total coliform count (TCC), total E. coli (TE.cC), and Staphylococcus spp. counts (TSC) in food samples collected from selected areas of Tangail municipality, Bangladesh. Methods:: An intensive study was carried out from December 2021 to March 2022 in the Tangail district of Bangladesh for investigation. A total of 5 types of food samples (15 from street side stalls and 15 from the selected restaurants; n= 30) were collected with a semi-structure-based questionnaire and tested by using different standard microbiological methods. Biochemical and antibiogram tests were performed to confirm the bacterial isolates and antibiotic-resistant patterns. Results:: The results revealed that the values of TVC, TCC, TE.cC and TSC were found in the range of 2.5 ×106 - 8.9 ×108, 2.5×105 - 7.1×107, 1.9×103 - 5.6×105 and 5.0×105 - 4.6×106 CFU/ml in street vended foods and 5.5 ×105 - 9.5 ×106, 4.3×104 - 7.1×105, 0 to 3.9×104 and 4.1×104 - 5.9×105 CFU/ml in restaurant foods. The E. coli isolates displayed the highest resistance rates to amoxicillin (80%), whereas Staphylococcus spp. showed 90% resistance to ampicillin. Conclusion:: From the interview and observational assessment, it was found that the food service system was not well managed, and there was a lack of hygiene practices. Thus, the study identified the foods from selected areas as carriers of food-borne pathogens.