Abstract:
Live bird markets (LBM) remain a critical link from farm to fork in the poultry value
chain, which oftentimes promotes indiscriminate antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance (AMR). In
this study, we assessed biosecurity practices, AMU, and associated these with multidrug resistant
(MDR) E. coli in LBMs in Abeokuta, Ogun State. A cross-sectional survey among live bird sellers
(LBS) in eight LBMs was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. Also, cloacal samples
(n = 200) were randomly collected and pooled for bacteriological detection of MDR E. coli in live
chickens of consenting LBS. Susceptibility to 14 antimicrobials belonging to 6 different classes
was determined using the disk diffusion method. Biosecurity level and AMU were generally low.
LBS less than 46 (Crudes odds ratio = 6.8; 95% CI; 1.20–38.56; p = 0.03) than others. An informal
or primary school education increased the odds of having a poor practice of AMU by 15.1 folds
(Crudes odds ratio = 15.1; 95% CI; 2.73–84.18; p = 0.002) than those with secondary or tertiary. The
prevalence of E. coli and MDR E. coli at the LBM level were 80% and 56.3%, respectively. Extremely
high resistance rates were observed for ceftazidime (96.9%) and imipenem (90.6%). The odds of
MDR E. coli increased eight-fold in poultry kept by LBS who use AMs as prophylaxis. This current
data could be useful for the development of targeted behavioral risk communication and mitigation
strategies for AMR to impede the potential horizontal transfer of AMR genes to humans through
animal-sourced food
Description:
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: QUESTIONNAIRE S1: Questionnaire, TABLE S1: The Concentrations and
Cut-Off Limits Used. For antimicrobials susceptibility testing, TABLE S2: Antimicrobial Profiles of the
Positive E. coli Isolates from Live Chickens in Abeokuta Ogun State.
