Prevalence, genetic profile of virulence determinants and multidrug resistance of Escherichia coli isolates from foods of animal origin

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the hygienic quality of foods of animal origin. Thus samples from foods of animal origin, viz. mutton, chicken meat, milk and milk products were processed. Materials and Methods: Two hundred samples from foods of animal origin viz., mutton, chicken meat, milk and milk products were processed for isolation of Escherichia coli. The isolates were got serotyped and also subjected to detection of virulence genes viz., stx1, stx2, eaeA and hlyA by PCR.The isolates were also tested against commonly used antibiotics. Results: The prevalence of E. coli was 30% in mutton, 40% in chicken meat, 33.96% in milk and14.89% in milk products samples. All the 60 isolates of E. coli were grouped into 24 serogroups with O60 and O123dominant strains (8.33%) followed by O22 (6.66%). The PCR detected 21(10.5%) of samples possessing stx1, 14(7%) stx2, 3(1.5%) both stx1 and stx2, 16(8%), eaeA and 4(2%) EHEC-hlyA gene. However, the prevalence of Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) was 20% in mutton, 30% in chicken meat, 16.98% in milk and 8.51% in milk products. Whereas the prevalence of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) was 2%, in mutton, 4% in chicken meat, 7.54% in milk and 2.12% in milk products samples. The 4 isolates O60, O101, O131 and one untypeable strain possessed the EHEC-hlyA gene. 22 of 50 (44%) of isolates from meat, milk and milk products showed multidrug resistance to four or more antimicrobial comprising ten of 25 (40%) isolates from chicken meat samples and 12 of 25(48%) from milk and milk products were multidrug resistance to four or more antimicrobial. Conclusions: It is concluded that partial cooked or raw milk, meat and their products prepared under unhygienic conditions may not be directly consumed as they may be carrying the pathogenic microbes. [Vet World 2013; 6(3.000): 139-142