Introduction: Safety of the environment in which vegetables are grown, marketed and consumed is paramount as most are eaten raw. Irrigation sources include open drains and streams, which are often contaminated with human and animal waste due to poor sanitation infrastructure. In irrigated vegetable farms using such sources in Ghana, we assessed Escherichia coli counts, antibiotic resistance patterns and resistant genes on irrigated lettuce. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January–May 2022, involving five major vegetable farms in Ghana. Results: Escherichia coli was found in all 25 composite lettuce samples analyzed. Counts expressed in CFU/g ranged from 186 to 3000, with the highest counts found in lettuce irrigated from open drains (1670) and tap water using hose pipes (3000). Among all bacterial isolates, resistance ranged between 49% and 70% for the Watch group of antibiotics, 59% for the Reserved group and 82% were multidrug-resistant. Of 125 isolates, 60 (48%) were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing, of which five (8%) had the blaTEM-resistant gene. Conclusions: Lettuce was contaminated with Escherichia coli with high levels of antibiotic resistance. We call on the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Food and Drugs Authority and other stakeholders to support farmers to implement measures for improving vegetable safety.
Even in the 21st century, households in rural Ghana still rely on drinking water sources that are contaminated with pathogenic Escherichia coli, the consumption of which results in morbidity and mortality of children and adults. The present study sought to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of E. coli isolated from household drinking water. A total of forty-nine (49) water samples were analyzed. E. coli was isolated and confirmed from the water samples using the spread plate and biochemical tests, respectively. The Kirby–Bauer method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. E. coli was isolated from 79.6% of the water samples with a mean colony growth of 15 cfu/100 μl. The isolates were absolutely resistant to ceftazidime, cefixime, augmentin, and cefuroxime. In contrast, the isolates were most susceptible to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, gentamicin, and nitrofurantoin. Multidrug resistance was registered in 48.7% of the isolates. E. coli isolates from each water sample had a Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index greater than 0.2, indicating increased use or misuse of antibiotics in the study area. This study revealed a high occurrence of multidrug-resistant E. coli and a record-high reduction in the efficacy of important antimicrobials.
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