Abstract:
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a cause of food-borne disease and global public health issues
especially in developing countries. In Ethiopians most people prefer to eat raw or undercooked
meat and fresh vegetables and fruits. A cross-sectional study was carried out from September
2024 to February 2025 to study the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7, evaluate its antimicrobial
resistance, and assess hygienic practices in goat meat, selected fruits and vegetables at Maya
city, Eastern Ethiopia. A total of 224 samples were collected, isolated, and confirmed using
selective enrichment media, biochemical tests, and latex agglutination tests. The overall
occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 was estimated to be 34(15.18%) and from total positive result,
12/34 (35.3%) of was found in goat meat swabs from butcher shop, 3/34 (8.8%) in tomato, 3/34
(8.8%) in cabbage, 5/34 (14.7%) in carrot, 6/34 (17.7%) in lettuce, 3/34 (8.8%) in banana and
2/34 (5.9%) in orange samples from open market. Hygiene and sanitation data were collected
using questionnaire and observational checklist. The antimicrobial susceptibility study of 7 E.
coli O157:H7 isolates using 8 commercially available antimicrobial discs revealed that all
isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, clindamycin and penicillin antimicrobial disks and
6(85.7%) isolates were resistant to ampicillin and vancomycin. Also, 5(71.4%) isolates was
resistant to erythromycin. However, 6(85.7%), 4(57.1%) and 1(14.3%) isolates were susceptible
to ciprofloxacillin, kanamycin and vancomycin antimicrobial disks respectively. The results of
this study demonstrate the presence of drug-resistant E. coli O157:H7 in goat meat, selected
fruits and vegetables at Maya city. Results also showed multiple antimicrobial resistant profiles of E. coli O157:H7 isolates, poor personal hygiene practices among meat, fruit and vegetables
handlers, and general hygiene measures in place. The current study needs for implementation of
E. coli O157:H7 prevention and control strategies from butcher shops and open market.
