Comparative Study on the Prevalence of Escherichia coli and it’s Antibiogram in Saum from Three Different Storage Places in Household at Mizoram

Background: Saum is a very important traditional food item of the Mizo society in Mizoram, North East India; but there is scanty scientific study and reports on Saum. The present study has been conducted to study and compare the prevalence of E. coli in Saum from three different storage places such as storage/keeping Saum under the sun (24-38°C) during hot part of the day, inside the refrigerator (3-4°C) and near the cooking fire (30-50°C) at home. Methods: The study was conducted from May, 2022 to November, 2022. A total of 105 Saum samples were collected from three different storage places comprising of 35 samples from each storage places and then analysed for the presence of foodborne pathogen E. coli and it’s virulence genes (stx1, stx2, elt, est genes) by conventional method and PCR. All the E. coli isolates were subjected to 12 different antibiotics for antimicrobial resistance pattern by disc diffusion method. Result: The overall prevalence of E. coli from 105 samples was 7.62% (8/105) comprising of 5.71% (2/35) from the storage place under the sun, 2.86% (1/35) from the refrigerator and 14.29% (5/35) near the cooking fire and no presence of virulence genes of E. coli was detected in the present study. The antimicrobial resistance pattern of all the 8 E. coli isolates showed the highest resistance to Cefazolin (100%) followed by Imipenem (37.5%). The present work will be a complementary contribution among Mizo society to know the best and safest storage places of Saum in regards to public health point of view.