ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANT SALMONELLA SPECIES FROM ABATTOIR WASTEWATER IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Over the years, zoonotic bacteria of the genus Salmonella, have acquired antimicrobial resistance properties, with a wide variety of resistance genes and resistance-mediating mutations being identified. This study isolated and characterized multiple drug resistant Salmonella species isolated from abattoir wastewaters in Abia State, Nigeria. Seven hundred wastewater samples from three abattoirs: Aba (300), Ubakala (250) and Lokpa (150) samples were analyzed from 2016 to 2019. Standard microbiological procedures were followed in isolation and identification of the Salmonella spp isolates. The antibiotic susceptibility test was done using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. The results showed moderate but significant prevalence of Salmonella spp in the three abattoir locations; 135(45.0%) from Aba, 108 (43.2%) from Ubakala and 74 (49.3%) from Lokpa. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the Salmonella spp isolates show that the organisms were highly susceptible to Ofloxacin (84.4% in Aba, 89.8% in Ubakala and 82.4% in Lokpa) and highly resistant to Ampicillin (97.0% in Aba, 91.7% in Ubakala and 98.6% in Lokpa). Most isolates recorded Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index greater than (>0.2). This result emphasizes the urgent need for regulation in the use of antibiotics in man and animals and their subsequent disposal into the environment.