Isolation of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli O157 from Goats in the Somali Region of Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional, Abattoir-Based Study

Abstract

Toxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) are an important cause of gastroenteritis in developing countries. In Ethiopia, gastroenteritis due to food-borne disease is a leading cause of death. Yet, there is no surveillance for E. coli O157 and little is known about the carriage of this pathogen in Ethiopia’s livestock. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and levels of antimicrobial resistance of E. coli O157 in goat meat, feces, and environmental samples collected at a large abattoir in the Somali region of Ethiopia. The samples were enriched in modified tryptone broth containing novobiocin, and plated onto sorbitol MacConkey agar. Isolates were confirmed using indole test and latex agglutination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the disk diffusion method. A total of 235 samples, including 93 goat carcass swabs, 93 cecal contents, 14 water, 20 hand, and 15 knife swabs were collected. Overall, six (2.5%) samples were contaminated with E. coli O157 of which two (2.1%) were isolated from cecal contents, three (3.2%) from carcass swabs, and one (7.1%) from water. All isolates were resistant to at least two of the 18 antimicrobials tested. Two isolates (33.3%) were resistant to more than five antimicrobials. Abattoir facilities and slaughter techniques were conducive to carcass contamination. This study highlights how poor hygiene and slaughter practice can result in contaminated meat, which is especially risky in Ethiopia because of the common practice of eating raw meat. We detect multi-resistance to drugs not used in goats, suggesting that drugs used to treat human infections may be the originators of antimicrobial resistance in livestock in this ecosystem. The isolation of multidrug-resistant E. coli O157 from goats from a remote pastoralist system highlights the need for global action on regulating and monitoring antimicrobial use in both human and animal populations.

Prevalence, molecular characterization and antimicrobial profiles of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli O157 isolated from ruminants slaughtered in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

“…Further, cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin only elicited a significant effect on some of the E.coli O157 strains and only intermediate effects on others. This is in agreement with previous reports on antimicrobial resistance patterns of E. coli O157:H7 isolates from animal and human sources [74][75][76]. Further, previous studies on antibiotic resistance of bacteria in the feces of slaughtered ruminants have reported that isolates showed higher resistance or multiple resistance [42,72,73].…”

Occurrence, virulence genes, and antimicrobial profiles of Escherichia coli O157 isolated from ruminants slaughtered in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

“…However, effectively treating E. coli O157:H7/H-infections is challenging, due to differing opinions presented by various investigators [55]. Many studies have reported an increasing incidence of multi-drug resistant E. coli O157:H7/H-strains isolated from the feces of slaughtered ruminants [56][57][58]. Our results show that all isolated strains were susceptible to antibiotics; cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, cipro oxacin, nor oxacin, and polymyxin B.…”

Occurrence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle feces and contamination of carcass and various contact surfaces in abattoir and butcher shops of Hawassa, Ethiopia

“…In developing countries, including Ethiopia, animals are commonly slaughtered and dressed under unhygienic conditions and this further compromises the microbiological quality and safety of the meat obtained from the animals [29, 30]. This can consequently risk the health of consumers.…”

“…This can consequently risk the health of consumers. In the presence of all the above situations, so far there are only few studies which addressed to assess the prevalence and distribution of E. coli O157:H7 in humans, animals or in foods of animal origin in Ethiopia [5–8, 30]. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were: (i) to isolate and identify E. coli O157:H7 from cattle feces, carcasses and contact surfaces at abattoir and butcher shops, (ii) to determine to what extent the abattoirs and butcher house environments serve as sources of E. coli O175:H7 and (iii) to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates.…”