Detection Of Resistant Escherichia Coli During Meat Processing In Food Establishments

Meat is an important food source, the nutritional composition of which, in conjunction with its desirable taste, positively affects human development and health. From a veterinary point of view, meat obtained from food-producing animals is also a potential reservoir for foodborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli . The prevalence and spread of antibiotic-resistant E. coli represent a threat to public health. For these reasons, the aim of this work was to identify the isolates obtained from food processing plants and to confirm the presence of E. coli species based on phenotypic and genotypic expression. The susceptibility of the investigated strains to antibiotics and their combinations was determined using the modified microdilution method. Dominant resistance was detected against ampilicin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, ampilicin + sulbactam, ciprofloxacin, and cefuroxime. Resistance to ertapenem, cefotaxime, tigecycline, and ceftazidime was also detected sporadically. Frequent mechanism responsible for resistance was generated an incomplete fluoroquinolone resistance induced by mutation and penicillinase with low enzyme expression. The occurrence of multidrug-resistant strains was also detected. Selected E. coli isolates were subjected to detection of genes encoding resistance to tetracyclines ( tet A and tet B) and quinolones ( qnr A, qnr B, and qnr S) by PCR. The tet A gene was confirmed in 68 % of the isolates, and the tet B gene in one isolate. The prevalence of the qnr A gene was found to be 29 % in the examined isolates. Two isolates showed the presence of the qnr S gene. The qnr B gene, as well as a combination of the qnr A and qnr B genes, was detected in one isolate.