Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia Coli Isolated from Cecum and Carcasses Samples of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Poultry production is an important part of the agricultural industry in many countries, including Indonesia. Antimicrobial agents are widely used in the poultry industry to reduce the significant losses caused by Escherichia coli infections and welfare of animals. However, utilizing antibiotics in food production in excess and/or inappropriately animal infections have also evolved antibiotic resistance. This study aims to determine the resistance patterns of Escherichia coli in broiler chickens to antimicrobial agents. In this study, 50 E. coli strains isolated from the cecum and carcass samples of broiler chickens from markets in Bogor West Java, Indonesia were tested for antimicrobials of both veterinary and human significance (sulfamethoxazole, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, colistin sulphate, and chloramphenicol). The antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated E. coli was determined using the standard disc diffusion procedure and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Performance Standards. The results showed that 66% of E. coli isolates were resistant to colistin sulphate, 52% were resistant to Sulfamethoxazole, 30% were resistant to meropenem, and 15% were resistant to ciprofloxacin, and 8% were resistant to chloramphenicol. The presence of multiple drug-resistant E. coli strains in broiler chickens is highlighted in this study. It showed that there was multiple resistance of E. coli to four types of antibiotics (4%), three types of antibiotics (20%), and two types of antibiotics (18%). In this study, Escherichia coli has developed resistance to colistin sulphate and chloramphenicol, both of which have been banned from use in livestock. This may be due to the spreading of contamination of resistant bacteria from the environment. The data revealed the relative risks associated with the use of antimicrobials in the poultry industry, therefore antibiotic usage in poultry farms should be restricted.