ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PATTERN OF Escherichia coli O157:H7 ALONG SUPPLY CHAIN OF RAW CAMEL MILK IN DOBA DISTRICT, WEST HARARGE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATES, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Raw milk is commonly consumed by individuals with a traditional preference for consumption (traditional diets) in Ethiopia. However, unhygienic conditions during milking, handling practices, storage in unsanitary utensils and transportation long distances by foot at ambient temperature are risky to milk contamination leads to human infection. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and assess the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli and E. coli O157:H7 isolated along camel milk chains from udder to market points, milk equipment swabs, milker hand swabs and water they use to clean milk equipment samples in Doba District, West Hararge Zone, Oromia Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to November, 2021. The isolation and identification processes passed through milk sample about 0.01ml (loop full milk sample) streaked onto MacConkey agar, then EMB agar and Cefixime- tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar, biochemical testing (indole, methyl red, Voges- Proskauer and citrate ), followed by latex agglutination test. Out of 544 samples, 117(21.51%) were positive for E. coli about 91(16.73%) non O157:H7 E.coli and 26 (4.78%) E. coli O157:H7 were isolated. About 79(16.25%) and 12 (20.69%) of non O157:H7 E. coli and 20 (4.12%) and 6 (10.34%) of E. coli O157:H7 were isolated from milk sample and environmental samples, respectively. A significant difference in the occurrences of E.coli O157:H7 at P-Value 0.036 was observed among sample sources. Antimicrobials resistance test result showed that, isolates were 100% resistance to, ampicillin for non O157:H7 E. coli and 97.1% E. coli O157:H7 respectively. About 95.2%, 64.6% and 45.2% of non O157:H7 E. coli and 92. 8%, 74.5 % and 62.7% of E. coli O157:H7 were resistance to Amoxicillin, tetracycline and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim respectively. This study indicate that there is high occurrence of E.coli due to poor handling practices along milk supply chain starting from udder hygiene to selling point (from milking to market point). Strategies in the prevention and control of food borne infections that could be caused by multi-drug resistant strains shall depends how much on hygienic milking and handling practices of milk improved