Antibiograms of salmonella isolates from poultry farms in Ovia North East local government area, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water, fecal and swab samples of poultry walls and cages collected from various poultry farms located in five towns and villages in Ovia North east local government area of Edo State, Nigeria, were screened for the presence of Salmonella spp and antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates. The prevalence rates recorded shows that Salmonella was isolated from all the sources investigated with varying rates which ranged from 27% for poultry cages to 80% recorded for fecal samples. Overall prevalence rates based on location ranged from 48% to 76%. Result of the resistance pattern of the Salmonella isolates from the various farms reveal that 62% of total 304 isolates tested were resistant to one or more of the antibiotics used with no significant difference in resistance pattern between the locations. Resistance to ampicillin appears to be the most common and was the highest (43%), followed by trimethoprim-sulphamethozazole (39%) and streptomycin (29%), with cephalexin (9%) and gentamycin (10%) recording the least resistance. Worrisome however is the fact the fluoroquinolones which are comparatively new, expensive and could be drug of choice should there be an outbreak, showed some significant degree of resistance (17%). The findings from this study present a potential health problem and are suggestive of the extent of misuse of drugs in medical and veterinary practice in Nigeria.