Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Index of Gram-Negative Bacteria from Bird Droppings in Two Commercial Poultries in Enugu, Nigeria
Ruth Asikiya Afunwa, Johnpaul Ezeanyinka, E. C. Afunwa, Adaeze Suzzy Udeh, Angus Nnamdi Oli, Marian N. Unachukwu
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance refers to the ability of microorganisms to grow in the presence of an antimicrobial agent at a concentration that will normally kill or inhibit their growth. Antimicrobial resistance has become a major global threat making treatment of infections tougher especially with high cost of treatment in humans and animals. This study was done to determine the Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Index (MARI) of Gram-negative bacteria from bird droppings in two commercial poultries in Enugu. Forty (40) samples were collected from each of the poultries. Isolates were identified by standard microbiological methods. The isolates identified were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter spp, Proteus spp. and, Enterobacter spp. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using disc diffusion technique. The organisms were tested against pefloxacin, augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid), ceftazidime, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, cephalothin, neomycin and ofloxacin. The result of the susceptibility test showed that Proteus spp had the highest resistance and MARI value of 0.5 and 1.0 respectively. The other MARI values were Escherichia coli (0.9), Klebsiella pneumonia (0.9), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (0.8), Citrobacter spp (0.8) and Enterobacter spp (0.7). These results suggest that bacterial organisms from poultry source can contribute significantly to the spread of multi-antibiotic resistant organisms. This could arise from the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in bird feeds in poultries.