Bacterial Contamination and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Street-Vended Foods in Ogwa and Ebelle, Edo State, Nigeria

Street foods provide affordable and accessible nutrition but may serve as reservoirs of pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. This study investigated bacterial contaminants and antimicrobial resistance patterns among bacteria isolated from commonly consumed street foods sold in Ogwa and Ebelle communities, Edo State, Nigeria. Twenty street food samples comprising rice-based (n=8), bread/pastry-based (n=5), and yam/plantain-based foods (n=7) were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Bacterial isolates were identified by colony morphology, Gram staining, biochemical characterization, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of selected resistance genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method following CLSI guidelines. Ten bacterial isolates comprising Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., and Salmonella spp. were recovered. Rice-based foods recorded the highest mean total viable count (537 ± 42 × 10³ CFU/g; P=0.018). All 10 isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, ampiclox, and amoxicillin. Multidrug resistance was observed in 9 of 10 isolates (90%), based on resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent in three or more antimicrobial classes. PCR detected mecA, blaTEM, blaCTX-M, tetA, and sul1 among MDR isolates, while blaSHV was not detected. These findings highlight the need for improved food hygiene, microbiological surveillance, and antimicrobial stewardship.