Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Abstract

Emerging Multidrug Resistant Metallo-β-Lactamases (MBLs) Positive Klebsiella Species from Cloacal Swabs of Poultry Birds

Ejikeugwu Chika, Iroha Ifeanyichukwu, Oguejiofor Benigna, Orji Okoro Loveday, Eluu Stanley, Okafor Collins, Ovia Kenneth and Ezeador Chika

The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the community is a public health issue because this phenomenon compromises our ability to effectively treat infectious diseases since these organisms such as those that express metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) are usually resistant to a wide variety of antibiotics. This study investigated the frequency of Klebsiella species from a local poultry farm that produced metallo-β-lactamase using phenotypic detection technique. Forty (40) samples from the cloacae of poultry birds were used for this study. Each sample was bacteriologically analyzed on MacConkey agar, and the isolated organism was identified by standard microbiology techniques. Susceptibility testing was done using disk diffusion technique, and the production of MBL was confirmed using disk diffusion technique in which EDTA was used as a chelating agent. Totally, 24 Klebsiella species isolates were isolated from the samples. High resistance of the Klebsiella species isolates was observed to oxacillin (100 %), ofloxacin (95.8 %), gentamicin (87.5 %), ertapenem (62.5 %), cefoxitin (58.3 %) and ciprofloxacin (87.5 %). The expression of MBL was only confirmed phenotypically in 5 (41.7%) Klebsiella species isolates. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics especially in the rearing of animals allows microbes to develop resistance through selective pressure. However, the timely and accurate detection of drug resistant microbes is critical to forestalling the emergence and spread these organisms in the community.