The transfer of resistant organisms through consumption of contaminated fish and shell fish poses a substantial risk of environmental contamination because of the practice of using medicated feeds to treat pens or cages. However, antibiotics used for animals either for therapy or prophylaxis can result in transfer of resistant genes from animals to humans and thereby establishing a reservoir of resistant microbes. This study was aimed at identifying bacterial isolates associated with fish pond aquaculture and their multiple resistance pattern to antibiotics. Samples of infected catfishes were collected from a fish pond in Aluu, Rivers state. The fishes were characterized by skin lesions which indicate the infection. Sterile swabs were used to swab the lesions on the skins of the fishes. The antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates was determined using the disc diffusion method. Standardized inoculums of the overnight grown broth cultures were spread on Mueller-Hinton agar plates using
Aim: Vegetables are good sources of nutrients such as minerals, oil, vitamins and carbohydrates and are used in preparing different delicacies such as soups and salads. This study was aimed at investigating the microbiological quality and antibiotic resistance pattern of microorganisms associated with stored vegetables in raffia baskets. Methodology: The vegetables were obtained from the Nigerian Stored Products Research institute (NSPRI) farm in Port Harcourt. Ten grams (10 g) each of fresh vegetables were homogenized differently in 90ml of sterile diluent. Aliquot (0.1 ml) of 10-3 and 10-5 dilutions of each vegetable sample was plated on nutrient agar plates and incubated at 37ºC for 24hours. Identified isolates were standardized using the 0.5 McFarland standard. This was done by transferring colonies of the test isolates into sterile 4 mL normal saline and comparing the turbidity of the isolate in the test tubes with the already prepared 0.5 McFarland. The disc diffusion method was used in determining the susceptibility pattern of the microorganisms against the antibiotics. In this method, the standardized inoculums were seeded aseptically on freshly prepared Mueller Hinton agar plates. Whatman discs which have been impregnated with different concentrations of the antibiotics were placed on the seeded plates and incubated at 37ºC for 18-24 hours. Results: Zones of clearance or inhibition on plates were recorded. The genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Bordetella, Staphylococcus, Myroides, Escherichia, Serratia, Micrococcus and Acetobacter were identified as predominant microbes from the vegetables. Conclusion: Despite the high level of resistance to the antibiotics, Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin were the most effective and preferred drugs of choice for treatment of infections arising from the consumption of these vegetables. Adequate heating and blanching of vegetables is required at all times to prevent food poisoning.
Raffia baskets are used in rural communities to preserve fresh vegetables for a given period of time. This method of storage is aimed at extending the shelf life of the vegetables until they are used. Thus, this study was aimed at determining the microbial succession during storage and susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates from stored leafy vegetables to various antibiotics. Five (5) leafy vegetables namely, Bitter leaf (Vernomia anydalira), Water leaf (Talinum triangulare), Fluted pumpkin leaf, (Telfairia occidentalis), Okazi leaf (Gnetum africana) and Scent leaf (Ocimum gratissimum) were obtained from the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) farm, Port Harcourt. These vegetables were stored in a raffia basket for fourteen (14) days while another set of the vegetables were left in the open air as control. This set up was monitored for changes to occur. Standard microbiological techniques were employed for the various analyses of the vegetable samples. Both cultural and molecular characterizations of the isolates were done. The disc diffusion method was used in determining the susceptibility pattern of the bacterial isolates. The results of the predominant microorganisms identified were of the genus; Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Bordetella, Staphylococcus, Myroides, Escherichia, Serratia, Micrococcus and Acetobacter. Also, Bacillus species occurred in all the vegetables while Enterococcus faecalis, Acetobacter orientalis, Bordetella pertussis, Myroides xuanwuensis and Bacillus flexus were isolated on the third day of storage from the vegetables. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 1.8 x106 cfu/g to 1.25 x107 cfu/g (bitter leaf), 9x105 cfu/g to 9.0 x106 cfu/g (Scent leaf), 7 x105 cfu/g to 1.88 x107 cfu/g (Okazi), 3.2x106 cfu/g to 1.05x107 cfu/g (Fluted pumpkin leaf) and 8.4 x106 cfu/g to 2.04 x107 cfu/g (water leaf). Antibiogram of bacterial isolates revealed that they were resistant to Augmentin and Ceftazidime according to Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute schemes. Combination of the antibiotics showed that most of the isolates were 100% susceptible to ciprofloxacin + erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin + ceftriaxone. The study revealed that for all the vegetables, those stored in the basket lasted longer and were fresher compared to those kept in the open space. This study revealed that the raffia baskets are suitable for storage and preservation of leafy vegetables, but microbial succession occurred as a result of increase in the period of storage leading to the proliferation of microorganisms. This could be from aerosols or by chance inoculation, through handling or materials used or other microorganisms which are inherent in the vegetables because of their contact with the soil or water used in the washing of the leaves.
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