Background There are numerous advantages offered by street vended foods, but evidence exists that foods exposed for sale on the road side may be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms. However, information on the bacteriological profile, bacterial load and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates from street food in Gondar town are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess bacterial profile, bacterial load, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates among street vended foods and also the hygienic practice of vendors in Gondar town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods Socio-demographic characteristics and the hygienic practices of 24 vendors were collected using structured questionnaire. A total of 72 food samples from four different food items were analyzed and counted by standard aerobic plate count method. Ten grams of each food sample was transferred in to 90 ml of buffered peptone water and homogenized. The homogenates were serially dilute and a volume of 0.1 ml dilution was spread on solid media and incubated at 35-37 °C for 24 h. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done for isolated species using Muller Hinton agar and data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 20.0. Results Seventy two food samples of street vended food were analysed for bacterial pathogens. 44/72 tested positive, a total of 63 isolates were identified as 19 samples contained two pathogens. The total mean aerobic bacterial count was 6.64 × 10 4 CFU/g which is varied from 1 × 10 4 –1.86 × 10 5 CFU/g. S. aureus is the most frequent isolate 34 ( 53.96%) followed by E.coli 15(23.8%), Enterobacter species 10(15.87%) and Citrobacter species 4(6.3%). Gentamycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were found to be the most effective antimicrobials against all isolates but the enterobactereaceae were resistant to ampicillin and Ceftaziidime and S.aureus were resistant to penicillin. Conclusion The results of this study showed that, the majority of street-vended food items in Gondar were contaminated with one or more different pathogenic bacteria. The presence of these bacteria in foods could lead to potential health problems for consumers. Therefore, health education as well as training in food safety and hygienic handling is required for food handlers to minimize contamination and the likelihood of people falling ill.

Background Infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) producing Gram-negative bacteria has emerge as a global threat in clinical practices. The treat is more serious in developing countries due to inappropriate use, poor adherence, use of counterfeit, sub-standard antibiotics and poor infection control practices. Data on ESBL producing Gram-negative bacteria are limited in developing countries including Ethiopia. The aim of this study was therefore, to describe the burden of ESBL producing Gram negative pathogens isolated from patients attending at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Amhara region. Materials and methods A total of 532 clinical samples of blood, urine, stool, wound, abscess, ear discharge, nasal discharge, cervical discharge and body fluid specimens were aseptically collected and bacteriologically processed. Identification of the bacterial species was performed using an automated system (Vitek-2 Compact 27530, USA) and antibiotic susceptibility test was determined by disk diffusion method and selection of antibiotics were in accordance with CLSI guidelines. The MDR pattern of the Gram-negative pathogens was assessed using phenotypic methods of ESBL and carbapenemase production following standard procedure. Result A total of 532 samples were processed and 263 pathogens were isolated. Of these, 185 (70.3%) were Gram-negative and 78 (29.7%) Gram-positive. Of the Gram-negative bacteria the high proportion of the isolates were identified from blood 146/185 (78.9%) and 29/185 (15.7%) were from urine cultures. The most common isolate in all clinical samples was Klebsiella pneumoniae 97/185 (52.4%) followed by Escherichia coli 23 /185 (12.4%), Acinetobacter baumannii 15 /185 (17.6%) and Enterobacter aerogenes 12 /185(6.5%). Of the total Gram negatives, the prevalence of MDR was 148/185 (80.0%). Of the MDR isolates the prevalence of ESBL producers were, 127/148 (85.8%) and 24/148 (16.2%) were carbapenemase producers. Conclusion and recommendation Prevalence of MDR and ESBL producing Gram-negative pathogens in this hospital is alarmingly high. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the problem with effective infection prevention and careful selection of empirical therapy are warranted in the study area.

Biofilm-related multi-drug resistance (MDR) is a major problem in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) that increase patient morbidity and mortality rates and economic burdens such as high healthcare costs and prolonged hospital stay. This review focuses on the burden of bacterial biofilm in the hospital settings, their impact on the emergence of MDR in the HAIs, biofilm detection methods, recent approaches against biofilms, and future perspectives. The prevalence of biofilm-associated MDR among HAIs ranges from 17.9% to 100.0% worldwide. The predominant bacterial isolates causing HAIs in recently published studies were S. aureus , A. baumannii, K. pneumoniae , and P. aeruginosa . In addition to the use of qualitative and quantitative methods to detect biofilm formation, advanced PCR-based techniques have been performed for detecting biofilm-associated genes. Although there are suggested therapeutic strategies against biofilms, further confirmation of their efficacy for in vivo application and antibiotics targeting biofilm-associated genes/proteins to minimize treatment failure is required for the future.

Background Multidrug resistance (MDR), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) has become a public health threat worldwide. This threat is worse in developing countries where there is high infectious disease burden and spread of antimicrobial resistance co-exist. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to assess MDR, ESBL and carbapenemase producing GNB from patients attending three selected referral hospitals in Amhara region. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2017- April 2018 at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Dessie Referral Hospital and Debre Markos Referral Hospital of Amhara national regional state. A total of 833 study subjects were recruited using a convenient sampling technique. Clinical samples such as blood, urine, stool, wound, abscess, ear discharge, nasal discharge, cervical discharge and body fluid specimens were aseptically collected. Culturing for identification of bacteria and determination of drug susceptibility testing were done following standard microbiological techniques. Selected MDR isolates were phenotypically assessed for ESBL and carbapenemase production. Results Of the 833 clinical samples cultured for bacterial growth, 141 (16.9%) were positive for GNB. The most common GNB identified were E. coli 46 (32.6%), Klebsiella spp. 38 (26.5%) and Proteus spp. 13 (9.2%). The overall MDR prevalence was 121 (85.8%). Among the total isolates, 137 (97.2%) were resistant to ampicillin followed by cotrimoxazole 115 (81.6%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 109 (77.3%), cefixime 99 (70.2%), cefepime 93 (66.0%) and tetracycline 91 (64.5%). The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing GNB were 69/124 (55.6%). Of which Klebsiella spp. 19 (15.3%) and E. coli 17 (13.7%) were common ESBL producers. Carbapenemase-producing isolates were 8/51(15.7%). Of which Enterobacter, Klebsiella and E. coli were common carbapenemase producers. Conclusion and recommendation Multi-drug resistance and ESBL producing isolates in the present study were high. E. coli and Klebsiella spp. were the most common ESBL producing GNB. Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., E. coli and Citrobacter spp. were typical carbapenemase-producing isolates. Continuous monitoring, antibiotic stewardship and molecular detection of the gene responsible for drug resistance are important means to reduce the spread of drug-resistant pathogens.

Background Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae is a potential risk for the transmission of infection with resistant strains. Understanding the burden of these resistant strains in asymptomatic people is essential to reduce the chain of infection transmission. However, data on the fecal carriage of Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae among food handlers were limited in developing countries especially in Ethiopia. The aim of the present study is, therefore, to assess fecal carriage rate, associated factors, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae among food handlers at the University of Gondar Cafeterias, Northwest Ethiopia. Materials and methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to June 2021 at the University of Gondar cafeterias. A total of 290 stool samples were collected, transported using Cary Blair transport medium, and processed. All isolates were cultured and identified by using MacConkey agar, and routine biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done to each isolate following the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. If the zone of inhibition was ≤ 22 mm for ceftazidime, ≤25 mm for ceftriaxone, and ≤27 for cefotaxime they were considered as potential ESBL strain and selected for a further phenotypic confirmatory. Moreover, the double-disc diffusion test and the modified carbapenem inactivation method were used for confirmations of Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae respectively. If a ≥5mm difference in zone diameter for either antimicrobial agent in combination with clavulanic acid versus the zone diameter of the agent when tested alone (without B-lactamase inhibitor), was confirmed as ESBL-PE and if the zone of inhibition diameter between 6-15mm and 16- 18mm with a pinpoint colony, it was considered as carbapenem resistance Enterobacteriaceae. Data were entered using Epi-data version 4.6 and then exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Potential risk factors were assessed using multivariable logistic regression and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Out of 290 stool samples, 63 (21.7%) and 7 (2.4%) were confirmed as Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The most predominant ESBL-PE was E. coli 43 (14.8%) followed by K. pneumoniae 17 (5.9%). Most of the Extended-spectrum β-lactamase and Carbapenemase-producing isolates were resistant to tetracycline, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone (100% each). In contrast, a low resistance level was recorded for Meropenem and cefoxitin. The overall Multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MDR) was 147 (42.3%). Antibiotics usage in the last 3 months and drinking unpasteurized milk were associated with the carriage of the Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae. Conclusions and recommendations The high fecal carriage rate of Multi-drug resistance isolate, Extended-spectrum β-lactamase, and Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were recorded among food handlers. Therefore, this study gives signals in the spread of drug-resistant bacteria easily to the community. Hence, the need for adjusting and promotion of infection prevention measures to prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria should not be underestimated.