Poultry products are essential to global food security, yet they can also harbor foodborne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). While E. coli is a common bacterium in human and animal intestines, certain strains can cause severe gastrointestinal illness if consumed. Given the widespread consumption of poultry in Nigeria, ensuring the safety of chicken products is crucial for public health. Increasing antimicrobial use and expanding reservoirs in food animals like chickens have been associated with the rise in the prevalence of Extended extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli (ESBL-EC). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of E. coli strains and determine the antibiogram of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-producing E. coli isolated from chicken processing plants in Ibadan, Nigeria.
A total of 100 swab samples were collected from the packaging stage of the processing line of five chicken processing plants across three local government areas: Oluyole, Lagelu, and Ibadan Southwest in Ibadan, Nigeria. Samples underwent standard microbiological techniques for E. coli isolation and identification, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. The obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics.
The investigation revealed concerning results, with 45 out of 100 samples yielding E. coli isolates. Overall, 40 were identified as ESBL-producing strains, and 5 as non-ESBL E. coli. Prevalence rates varied among processing plants and local government areas, with Ibadan Southwest Local Government showing the highest prevalence at 60% and Plants B and D showing the highest prevalence per plant. High resistance rates were observed among the isolates against commonly used antibiotics, including 93.33% resistance to cefotaxime and 88.89% resistance to ceftazidime. Additionally, 77.78% and 75.56% resistance rates were recorded for tetracycline and pefloxacin, respectively. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was also prevalent among 84.45% of isolates, with 12.5% demonstrating extended-drug resistance (XDR).
