ASSESSMENT OF HYGIENIC PRACTICE, ISOLATION AND ANTIBIOGRAM PROFILES OF Staphylococcus aureus FROM GOAT MEAT AT BUTCHER HOUSE IN CHELENKO AND KULUBI TOWNS, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus from meat is great global public health issue especially in developing country like Ethiopia. A Cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to March 2023 to assess goat meat handling practice and the prevalence of S. aureus with antimicrobial susceptibility profile at Chelenko and Kulubi towns. A total of 206 swab samples were collected from goat meat and environmental sample, and examined for the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus. All samples were exposed to serial dilution to determine S. aureus load in goat meat from butcher house. Moreover, a total of 42 butcher’s house workers having different demography were interviewed on the meat handling practice. Among 206 total samples, 120 from goat meat, 86 contact surface from butcher shop, examined for prevalence of S. aureus, 24.8% over all prevalence of organism were isolated. Depending on the type of sample, the highest prevalence was recorded in cutting boards swab sample (35%) followed by worker hands (30.8%), while the lowest prevalence was recorded from meat sample (20.8%). Similarly, depending on origin of sample higher prevalence was found in Chelenko (27.2%) than Kulubi town (22.3%) in meat swab sample. There was no significance difference (p>0.05) observed in prevalence of S. aureus between town and type of sample. The mean counts of S. aureus were 5.56±0.276 (log10 / CFU/cm2 and 5.42±0.309 (log10 / CFU/cm2) Chelenko and Kulubi Towns respectively. There was no significant difference was observed in the load of S. aureus within source of sample in both Towns (P> 0.05). S. aureus isolated from goat meat showed a high level of resistance to amoxicillin (66.7%), penicillin-G (62.8%), and ampicillin (52.7%), while vancomycin, gentamycin and kanamycin showed high susceptibilities of 94%, 88.2% and 86.3% respectively. A questionnaire survey was also employed to assess the hygienic handling practices and possible risk factors regarding the contamination of goat meat at study area. Presence of low quality of meat handling practice and community awareness on the meat hygiene were observed at both Towns. This was supported by insignificant distribution of Staphylococcus aureus across sampling locations and site. Therefore, community awareness creation on hygienic meat handling was recommended.