ISOLATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF COAGULASE POSITIVE STAPHYLOCOCCUS FROM SUBCLINICAL MASTITIS OF CAMEL MILK IN BABILE DISTRICT, OROMIA REGION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Coagulase positive Staphylococcus species are produce a wide range of heat-stable enterotoxins and ingestion of less than 1.0 μg enterotoxin causes staphylococcal food poisoning. Little information is available at present about the toxinogenic potential of this bacterial species in camel milk and about the role of the raw camel milk in intoxication of the consumer by staphylococcal enterotoxins. Consumption of raw camel milk should be of major concern from public health point of view. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to August 2022 to isolate coagulase positive Staphylococcus from subclinical mastitic lactating camels, to estimate prevalence, identify risk factors and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of coagulase positive Staphylococcus isolates in Babile district, Eastern Ethiopia. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess potential risk factors. California mastitis test, bacterial isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted. Pearson’ Chi-square test was used to analyze the collected data. A total of 1233 milk samples were screened for SCM, 220 (17.8%) were found to be CMT positive. The prevalence of SCM in the study areas was 34.8% (112/322). The prevalence of CPS was found to be 68.8% (77/112) and 47.3% (104/220) on animal and quarter basis, respectively. Among the risk factors studied, CPS in milk was shown significant association (P <0.05) with stage of lactation in camels. Of CPS isolates, the predominantly pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus at proportion of 58.4 % and 25.9% animal and teat level respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility was checked with 9 antibiotics using disc diffusion method and revealed high multidrug resistance of 45 (90%). High level of multiple resistance was observed to drugs like penicillin (84%), cefoxitin (80%) and ampicillin (64 %) were scored. However, the CPS isolates were shown susceptibility to amikacin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin at 88%, 74% and 72%, respectively. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of CPS with respect to camel milk intoxication due to its enterotoxin and as a mastitis causing bacterium. Therefore, improved management and hygienic milking process is needed to improve the health of camels and the quality of camel milk in the study areas as well to reduce public risks due to consuming raw milk with MDR of CPS