Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern and Plasmid Profiling of Some Isolates Obtained from Raw Meats Sold in Ibadan Metropolis

This study was carried out to monitor the prevalence rate of pathogenic isolates from fresh raw meats sold at butcher open shops in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria. 16 samples of pork, goat, beef and chicken meats were obtained from four market locations and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. The result of the microbiological examination of the meat samples shows the occurrence of 12 genera of bacteria out of the 161 isolates obtained: Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Yersinia, Proteus, Escherichia, Paracolons, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter. A total of 50 isolates were selected across the locations and tested against different antibiotics which include; ceftazidime, cefuroxime, gentamicin, ofloxacin, augmentin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim, out of which 58% of the isolates were most resistance to tetracycline, and 94% were most susceptible to gentamicin. Furthermore, 10 most antibiotic resistant isolates were selected across the four locations to check for their plasmid profiles, and four were found to contain plasmid of different sizes and numbers. These isolates were cured of their plasmids and subjected against the selected antibiotics. The isolates remained resistant to the antibiotics except for Shigella dysenteriae which becomes susceptible to the antibiotics it was formerly resistant to, showing that the gene(s) responsible for the resistance against the tested antibiotics is plasmid related. The findings of this study confirmed the presence of probable pathogenic organisms which are multidrug resistant microorganisms in raw meats sold in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. It significantly points to the great need to evaluate and monitor the occurrence rate of multidrug resistant organisms in livestock sold in Nigeria. There is also the need for proper and adequate cooking of food of animal origin prior consumption.