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BackgroundThere is paucity of information regarding the epidemiology of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in developing countries. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of E. coli O157: H7 associated with beef cattle at processing plants and at retail shops in Ethiopia.MethodsVarious samples were collected from beef cattle at slaughter/processing plants, carcass at retail shops and humans at health centers. E. coli O157: H7 was isolated, identified and characterized for antimicrobial resistance, using standard microbiological methods.ResultsAt the processing plants E. coli O157: H7 was detected in 1.89% of fecal, 0.81% of intestinal mucosal swab, 0.54% of skin swab and 0.54% of carcass internal swab samples. At retail shops it was detected in 0.8% of carcass and 0.8% of cutting board swab samples, while all samples from utensils, hands from workers, and fecal and stool samples were negative. All isolates were resistant to Amoxicillin, moderately resistant to Cefoxitine and Nitrofurantoins but susceptible to other antimicrobials tested.Conclusions E. coli O157: H7 occurs at low prevalence in beef cattle, and the current sanitary dressing procedures in the processing plants and storage conditions in the retail shops are effective against E. coli O157: H7.

Background: Ethiopia bears the largest burden of foodborne diseases in Africa, and diarrheal diseases are the second leading causes of premature deaths. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 causes an asymptomatic infection to severe diarrhea and/or hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans. Methods: A total of 440 beef carcass and in-contact surface swabs from 55 butcher shops and 85 minced beef samples from 40 restaurants in central Ethiopia were collected and examined for the presence of E. coli O157. Standard microbiological methods were used to isolate and identify E. coli O157 and to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of the isolates.Results: E. coli O157 was detected in 4.5% carcass swabs (n = 5) and 3.6% cutting board swabs (n = 4) samples from butcher shops. E. coli O157 was not detected in any of the minced beef samples obtained from restaurants. All isolates (n = 9) were 100% susceptible to five drugs, but five isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, two isolates to streptomycin and three isolates to chloramphenicol. One isolate was resistant to two drugs and another to three drugs.Conclusions: The present study shows a low prevalence of E. coli O157 in beef sold at butcher shops. Nevertheless, given the low infective dose of this pathogen and the deep-rooted tradition of consuming raw or undercooked beef, the current prevalence should not be considered lightly from a public health perspective.

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Foodborne bacterial diseases are a serious challenge to human and animal health. Salmonella is a zoonotic foodborne pathogen and the etiologic agent of salmonellosis. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2016 to April 2016 on small scale and large scale dairy farms in and around Modjo town, Ethiopia. The main objectives of the study were to isolate and identify Salmonella from lactating cows, personnel's' and equipment at farms and to determine the in vitro antimicrobial resistance profiles of the isolates. A total of 266 samples consisting of fresh cow milk, fecal sample, pooled milkers' hand swab, pooled bucket swab, tank swab, and tank milk were collected from 21 dairy farms (n=20 smallholders, n=1 large scale farm). The samples were examined for the presence of Salmonella following standard techniques and procedures outlined by the International Organization for Standardization. Kibry-Bauer disk diffusion test was used for the antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Salmonella was isolated from 28/266 (10.5%) of the total samples. Out of the 28 Salmonella isolates, 18 (64.3%), 3 (10.7%) and 7(25%) were from lactating cows, personnel's', and equipment, respectively. Out of the 28 isolates subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, all isolates were resistant to at least one or more antimicrobials tested. Accordingly, 96.4% (27/28), 82.1% (23/28) and 75.0% (21/28) isolates were resistant to tetracycline, kanamycin and nalidixic acid, respectively. Multiple drug resistance (resistance to two or more antimicrobials) was detected in 27(96.4%) of the isolates. Multiple antimicrobial resistance was observed in 100% (18/18), 7.4% (2/23) and 100% (7/7) of isolates obtained from lactating cows, personnels', and equipment, respectively. High proportion of multiple antimicrobial resistant isolates (96.4%) in 93Fufa Abunna et al., Ethiop. Vet. J., 2017, 21 (2), 92-108 the dairy farms alerts concern for animal and public health as these drugs is used widely for treatment and prophylaxis in animals and humans.

A cross sectional study was conducted between February, 2014 and April, 2014 to isolate and identify Staphylococcus from dairy cattle farms and municipal abattoir; and to evaluate antimicrobial sensitivity for isolates in and around Asella, Ethiopia. An over all of 181 samples were collected and processed from nine dairy cattle farms (87) and seven municipal abattoir visits (94). Accordingly, 42 (23.2%) udder milk, 9 (5.0%) tank milk, 9 (5.0%) polled bucket swab, 9 (5.0%) tank swab, 9 (5.0%) polled hand swab, 9 (5.0%) polled nasal swab, from dairy cattle farms; and 66 (36.5%) meat swab, 7 (3.9%) polled knife swab, 7 (3.9%) polled slaughter line swab, 7 (3.9%) polled hand swab and 7 (3.9%) polled nasal swab from municipal abattoir visits were collected. The result showed the overall proportion of Staphylococcus was 89 (49.2%). Staphylococcal species were more predominant in abattoir 50/94 (53.2%) than farms 39/87 (44.8%), but there was no significant difference between them because p>0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Also high proportion of Staphylococcus was isolated from polled farm nasal swab 8/9 (88.9%), but this difference between sample type and the presence of Staphylococcus is not significant, because p-value (0.303) is greater than 0.05 at 0.05 level. Up on isolation and identification 35 (19.3%), 6 (3.3%), 24 (13.3%), 24 (13.3%) were S. aureus, S. intermedius, S. hyicus and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS), respectively. From total positive samples, 55 isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility to different 15 antimicrobial discs. The comparative efficacies of antimicrobials used indicates Gentamycin, Kanamycin, Chloramphenicol, Ciprofloxacillin, and Sulphamethoxazole trimethoprim, were the most effective antibiotics where by 94.5%, 89.1%, 81.8%, 81.8%, and 81.8% respectively. Good hygienic practices should be followed both in dairy cattle farms and municipal abattoir including working personnel and equipment's used; and antimicrobials susceptibility test should be carried out at regular intervals to find out the development of resistance against the most commonly applied antibiotics.

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The survey was conducted with the objective of assessing potentially poisonous plants and chemicals in and around Adama town, Central Ethiopia. Three types of structured questionnaires were developed and 118 individuals (93 livestock owners, 11 animal health practitioners and 14 factories managers) were interviewed on voluntary basis. The result of this assessment indicated that 71(76.3%) of livestock owners and 10(90.9%) of animal health practitioner complained presence of plant poisoning on livestock in the study area. Similarly 31 plants were identified as having poisoning effect on livestock among which Rhizophoraceae, Sorghum bicolar, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Medicago polymorpha had the highest botanical frequency. On the other hand, 22(23.7%) livestock owners and 1(9.1%) animal health practitioners observed chemical toxicosis, respectively. About two individuals of (14.2%) interviewed factories managers received complaints of chemical toxicosis of livestock due to inappropriate disposal of their wastes. Food shortage 48%, nutritional deficiency 10.4% and due to excess consumption 8.1% were identified as major risk factors which predispose livestock in and around Adama town to poisonous plants and toxic chemicals. Therefore, further study on complained poisonous plants and toxic chemicals in the study area, and institution of pertaining control and prevention method is strongly recommended.