ISOLATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS FROM CAMEL MILK, ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTS AND ITS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE IN BABILE DISTRICT EAST HARARGE ZONE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to June 2022 in Babile District, East Hararge Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, with aim of S. aureus isolation from raw camel milk, to assess antimicrobial resistance and public health importance.The study was conducted on a total of 223 milk samples from producers, collectors and retailers. For this study both laboratory and questionnaire based data were collected and analysis by chi-square test(x2 ). The overall prevalence of S. aureus was found to be 18.4 % (41/223).The frequency of isolation of S. aureus were varied between sources of sample and ranged from 11.7-34.6 %. The prevalence of S. aureus was 11.7 % (16/137), 20.6 %( 7/34) and 34.6% (18/52) from udders at milk producers, milk from container at collectors and retailers, in the increasing order. There was statistically a significant difference (P=0.001) in isolation of S. aureus from milk udders at producer, milk from containers at collectors and retailer. Of all (n=41) isolates of S. aureus were subjected against fourteen antibiotics susceptibility testes by using the kirby-bauer disk diffusion method, high susceptible to Ciprofloxacine (100%) Gentamycin(92.7), Erythromycin(92.7) and Kanamycine (90.2),while high resistant S.aureus isolate to Penicillin G (100%) Ampicillin (85%) and Tetracycline (68.3) were observed. The prevalence of multidrug resistance of S.aureus isolates from raw camel milk was 63.4% (26/41). Milk handling practice and consumer behavior at milk producers, sellers and consumers would be assessed. A 60% of respondent had no clean milk container, 62.5 % could no wash hand, 70% could no wash udders before milking and 57.5respondent were used plastic containers under milk producers. Majority of sellers were pooling the milk obtain from different producers and collectors that stored in plastic containers (86.7%) without refrigerator .A 100 % of milk consumers had habit of raw milk consumption and have not awareness about milk borne disease(100%) were observed at all respondents. The study showed that, high prevalence of S.aureus from raw camel milk and multidrugs resistant were observed, which could be public health risk in Babile district, East Hararge Zone. Creation of public awareness about good milk handling practices, boiling of milk prior to consumption and periodic assessment of the drugs sensitivity test prior to use.