Abstract:
This study on the microbiology of chicken assessed a total of 97 live birds from three selected farms and 87 carcasses/chicken parts from two supermarkets, two open markets and one wholesale outlet (cold store) in the Accra metropolis. Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 14 (14.4%) gut contents of live birds from three farms. None of the frozen birds were positive for Campylobacter spp. These isolates were sensitive to most common antibiotics but not to ampicillin and tetracyclines. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 7 (7.2%) gut contents and 13 (6.8%) carcasses and were resistant to erythromycin, cefotiam, penicillin, ampicillin and cefadroxil. Samonella spp. had varied susceptibilities to nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol and minocyclin. No Shigella spp. was isolated from any of the live birds but 6 (6.9%) of imported chicken samples from the cold store and two markets were positive. Fosfomycin and chloramphenicol were the only antibiotics effective against these isolates. Twelve different Escherichia coli serovars were identified from the total of 21 positive samples. These, in order of magnitude isolated, are E. coli 0158 (14.3%), 0125 (14.3%), 025 (9.5%), 028ac (9.5%), 0159 (9.5%), 015 (9.5%), 0126 (9.5%), 063 (4.8%), 0143 (4.8%), 026 (4.8%), 078 (4.8%), 0164 (4.8%). Cefadroxil, ampicillin, penicillin, cefotiam, tetracycline and erythromycin were ineffective against all strains of E. coli isolated. Minocyclin was effective against all strains with the exception of E. coli 0159, 025, 0164 and 063, which were moderately susceptible. All strains with exception of E. coli 0164 were susceptible to fosfomycin. Nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, kanamaycin, ceftrioxone and amoxycillin all showed varied effectiveness against the strains isolated. It is concluded that imported and locally produced chicken is a potential source of multiple-antibiotic-resistant enteropathogenic bacteria. Measures to improve the microbial quality of chicken are discussed. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.