Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Pathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Chicken Liver and Trachea

Escherichia coli is a poultry bacterial pathogen reported for causing a wide variety of disease. The aim of this research was to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from liver and trachea of freshly dead chicken. Ninety seven (97) freshly dead chicken from 23 different farms where analyzed for the presence of pathogenic E. coli. In vitro susceptibility of the isolates against antimicrobial agents was determined using disk diffusion method. A total of forty eight (48) pathogenic E. coli were isolated, twenty one (21) of the isolates were recovered from the chicken trachea while twenty seven (27) were from the liver. A total of 43 out of the 48 isolated E. coli showed haemolysis on sheep blood agar, which constituted 89.6% of the entire E. coli. The overall resistant pattern of the isolated E. coli showed that Nitrofurantoin (NIT 300 μg) had the best antimicrobial activity with resistance of 20.8%. Ampicillin (AMP 10 μg) was most resisted with 89.6 % of the E. coli forming resistance. The resistant of other antibiotic used are Ceftazidime (CAZ 30 μg) 45.8%, Cefuroxime (CRX 30 μg) 60.4%, Gentamicin (GEN 10 μg) 68.8%, Ciprofloxacin (CPR 5 μg) 47.9%, Ofloxacin (OFL 5 μg) 52.1%, and Amoxicillin/Clavulinate (AUG 30 μg) 79.2%