ABSTRACT
Enterococci are commensal bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract of human and animal. However their increasing resistance to clinically important antimicrobial agents remains a global threat. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profile of Enterococcus isolated from poultry farms in Benin City.
A total of sixty (60) samples were collected from five different poultry farms between August, 2020 and September, 2020. The samples were screened for Enterococcus using cultural characteristics, biochemical techniques, and subsequently confirmed via Analytical Profile Index (API) rapid ID 32 STREP. The antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The virulence factors and biofilm formation were examined using the standard bacteriological and microtitre plate method.
The total Enterococcus positive samples were 32/60 (53.3%). The distribution of occurrence were feed [12/32 (37.5%)], water [15/32 (46.9%)] and faeces [5/32 (15.6%)]. The speciation of the Enterococcus species as shown based on API rapid ID 32 STREP were Enterococcus faecium 15/45 (33.3%), Enterococcus faecalis 12/45 (26.7%), Enterococcus durans 8/45 (17.8%), Enterococcus casseliflavus 5/45 (11.1%) and Enterococcus hirae 5/45 (11.1%). The highest antibiotic resistance was demonstrated by ampicillin, fosfomycin and penicillin G with a resistance rate of 100%, 95.6% and 88.9% respectively. The least antibiotic resistance was observed in ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol with a resistance rate of 22.2% and 28.9% respectively. The multiple antibiotic resistance profile of the Enterococcus species in this study ranged from 0.3-0.9. The virulence factors formation of Enterococcus species observed was gelatinase activity [28/45(62.2%)], β-haemolytic activity [30/45(66.7%)], hyaluronidase activity [33/45(73.3%)] and S-layer formation [43/45(95.6%)]. The biofilm formation distribution in Enterococcus specieswere strong biofilm formation [19/45(42.2%)], moderate biofilm formation [10/45(22.2%)], weak biofilm formation [11/45(24.4%)] and no biofilm formation [5/45(11.1%)]. Findings from this study emphasized on the potential health implications associated with antimicrobial resistance.
