ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Escherichia coli FROM VEGETABLES IN BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Escherichia coli are common bacterium found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other vertebrates. However, several groups of E. coli can be pathogenic, causing diseases that could be fatal. Food borne disease could have to severe health and economic implications. A total of 50 fresh vegetable samples collected from five local markets in Benin City, Nigeria were assessed in this study. The samples include 15 green leaf (Amaranthus tricolor), 15 waterleaf (Talinum fruticosum) and 20 pumpkin leaf (Telfairia occidentalis). The markets were New Benin market, Ekiosa market, New market, Oba market and Uselu market Benin City. The distribution of occurrence were green leaf [7/15 (46.7%)], waterleaf [3/15 (20%)] and pumpkin leaf [10/20 (50%)]. The distribution of Escherichia coli based on market location were Ekiosa market [6/10 (60%)], Uselu market [3/10 (30%)], Oba market [3/10 (30%)], New Benin market [3/10 (30%)] and New Market [(5/10) (50%)]. The resistant profile of demonstrated by the isolates were gentamicin [1/5 (20%)], ampicillin [4/5 (80%)], tetracycline [2/5 (40%)], cefipime [5/5 (100%)], nitrofurantoin [1/5 (20%)], imipenem [5/5 (100%)] and fosfomycin [2/5 (40%)]. The multiple antibiotics resistance profile of Escherichia coli in this study ranged from 0.7 – 0.3. All the isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics and demonstrated an MAR index ≥ 0.3.