ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILES OF SELECTED ENTEROBACTERIACEAE CONTAMINANTING RAW BEEF FROM RETAIL BUTCHERIES IN KAKAMEGA TOWN, KENYA

Abstract

Background: Meat has been the main source of protein foodstuff globally since ancient times to date. However, it should not habour disease causing agents. Its high nutritive value has been found to hasten microbial growth. Objective: To determine antimicrobial resistance profiles of selected Enterobacteriaceae isolates from raw beef samples. Design: This was a cross-sectional study to determine antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from raw beef. Antibiofilm formation activity was determined. Statistical analysis techniques such as descriptive statistics and chi-square test of homogeneity were used for data analysis.

Setting: Samples were obtained from selected 54 retail butcheries in Kakamega town, analysis was done at Masinde Muliro University microbiology laboratory. Results: Out of the 1296 samples collected, 548/1296(42.3%) were contaminated with E. coli, 80/1296(6.17%) with Salmonella sp. and 20/1296(1.54%) with Shigellaspp. Among the 548 E. coli strains sensitivity to quinolones differed (nalidixic acid-486/548 and ciprofloxacin-535/548), and all the strains were sensitive tochloramphenicol and ceftriaxone, 72.6% of the E. coli isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, 21% to streptomycin, and 89% to kanamycin. About, 70 (87.5%) strains of Salmonella species isolated were sensitive to all the drugs though some [10 (12.5%)] were resistant to cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid. All the 20(100.0%) isolates of Shigella sp, were sensitive to all the drugs tested in this study. Conclusion: Raw beef samples were found to be contaminated with enterobacteriaceae. E. coli was the main contaminant isolated, also major antimicrobial resistant isolate. The study recommends stringent hygiene measures on butcheries and personnel handling meat.