Resistance to antibiotics in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from broiler carcasses

Abstract

One hundred and ninety-seven isolates of Gram-negative bacteria, comprising 10 genera, were isolated from poultry carcasses at a processing plant in order to investigate resistance to low levels of antibiotics. The samples were taken just after evisceration and before inspection. Most of the isolates were of Samonella and Escherichia. Other genera present were Enterobacter, Serratia, Klebsiella, Kluyvera, Erwinia, Citrobacter, Pseudomonas and Aeromonas. Distinct profiles of antibiotic resistance were detected. Resistance to more than two antibiotics predominated and spanned several classes of antibiotics. Salmonellae and escherichiae were mainly resistant to the aminoglycosides, followed by tetracycline, nitrofuran, sulpha, macrolide, chloramphenicol, quinolones and beta-lactams. Most isolates were sensitive to 30mug/ml olaquindox, the growth promoter in use at the time of sampling. However, many were resistant to a level of 10mug/ml and 13mug/ml olaquindox, levels present in the gut due to the dilution in the feed. The results suggest a possible role of low level administration of antibiotics to broilers in selecting multi-resistant bacteria in vivo.