Antibiogram and Bacteriological Assessment of Raw Meat Sold in Owerri, Southeast Nigeria

This study assessed the antibiogram and bacteriological assessment of raw meat sold in Owerri. Samples of fresh beef were taken from beef vendors from three (3) markets; Relief market, Ekeonuwa market and Amakohia market in Owerri, Imo State. Three samples each weighing 100g were aseptically collected in sterile polythene pouches, sealed and transported in ice to the Imo State University Microbiological Laboratory for microbiologic alanalysis within some few hours of collection. The results of this study showed that the total heterotropic bacteria counts of ranged from 3.72× 105cfu/g - 4.2 × 105cfu/g , the coliform bacterial counts ranged from 1.9 × 105cfu/g - 2.7 × 105cfu/g while the total salmonella shigella count ranged from 0cfu/g -4.12x103cfu/g. Bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Streptococcus spp., Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. Of the 50 bacterial isolates obtained, E. coli [15 (27.7)] and Staphylococcus spp [15 (27.7)] were the prevalent isolates. Other bacterial pathogens incriminated in this study were Salmonella spp [9(18.0)], Bacillus spp [7(14.0), and Streptococus spp [4 (8.0)].Most of the Gram-positive bacteria were highly susceptible to ceftizoxime and the Gram-negative to gentamicin and cefotaxime. E. coli, was susceptible to ampicillin/sulbactam (71% susceptibility), cefotaxime (71%), ciprofloxacin (94%), chloramphenicol (94%), ceftizoxime (100%), ofloxacin (82%), and amikacin (100%). S. aureus was susceptible to ampicillin/sulbactam (75%), cephalexin (75%), cefotaxime (100%), roxithromycin (75%), lincomycin (75%), and gentamicin (100%). Bacterial quality of fresh beef sold in Owerri has shown that beef sold in Owerri is contaminated with Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. but the prevalence of Salmonella spp. was low.This findings shall guide clinicians in the management of food poisoning/enteritis from possible meat consumption. Effective supervision and health education of meat sellers and their abbatoirs is highly recommended.