Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in a government piggery farm in Owerri, Nigeria
Date
2008
Authors
Akujobi, C. O.
Ogbulie, J. N.
Umeh, S. I.
Abanno, N. U.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Formulae Group
Abstract
The acquisition of antibiotic-resistant commensal Escherichia coli was examined in a cohort of newborn pigs. Faecal samples were collected weekly from young pigs over a 2 month period and screened for E. coli resistant to ampicillin, nalidixic acid, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin at concentrations of 16, 8, 8 and 8mg/l, respectively. E. coli viable counts were also performed on the samples. All the pigs acquired gentamicin-nalidixic acid- and ampicillin-resistant E. coli, while 80% acquired ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli during the study. Sixty-five per cent of samples were resistant to at least one of the four antibiotics. The prevalence of the antibiotics declined significantly with age and time (p<0.05). Total counts and antibiotic resistant counts declined with age (p<0.05), with the rate of decline in antibiotic resistant counts being greater than that for total counts (p<0.05). The cohort pigs rapidly acquired antibiotic-resistant bacteria shortly after birth and the carriage of resistant bacteria was associated with age.
Description
The paper is a short communication
Keywords
Antibiotics resistance, Escherichia coli, new-born pigs, faecal samples, Department of Microbiologyy
Citation
Akujobi, C. O., Ogbulie, J. N., Umeh, S. I. & Abanno, N. U. (2008). Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in a government piggery farm in Owerri, Nigeria. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, 2(3), 363-367