ABSTRACT

The bacterial species and antibiogram of. organisms isolated from snacks sold by various food vendors within Umuahia metropolis was analysed. A total of twelve (12) snacks comprising of four (4) meat pie, four (4) fish pie and four (4) egg roll were purchased from Orpet, Ahiaeke, Gate six and Ndoro. Standard microbiological procedure were observed in transportation, isolation and identification of the isolates. The antibiotic susceptibility test was done using the - Kirby bauer disc diffusion method, multidisc impregnated with ten (10) antibiotics; Azithromycin, Cetexime Cefotaxime, Ceptriaxone, Cefuroxime, Ciproflaxin, Gentamycin, Imipenem, Levofloxacin and Lefoxitin was used. Five (5) genera were identified (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp , Kiebsiella sp, Staphytococcus äureus and Bacillus sp). The highest total heterotrophic plate count was recorded by shop 1(orpet) (4.5 x 10) whereas the least heterotrophic plate count was recorded by shop 2 (Ahiaeke) at (2.9 x 10). The highest total coliform plate count was recorded by shop 2 (3.5 x 10) while the least coliform plate count was recorded by shop 3 at (2.4 x 10). The highest total Staphylococcus aureus count was recorded by shop 1 (2.7 x i05 ) whereas the least Staphylococcus clureus count was recorded by shop 4 (2.2 x 10). Eseherichia coli was the most frequently occurring isolates with a percentage occurrence of 11(32.3%), followed by Bacillus sp .8(23.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7(20.5%) then Klebsiella sp 5(14.7%), whereas Staphylococcus aureus had the least percentage occurrence of 3(8.8%). The antibiotic sensitivity test revealed that Gentamycin had high rate of sensitivity to the bacterial isolates 10(90.9%) followed by Levofloxacin 9(81.8%) and then Ciprofloxacin 8(72.7%). The isolates were highly resistant to Cepoxitin 9(81.8%), followed by Cefotaxime 5(45.5%) and then Azithromycin and Cefexime 3(27.3%) each. The presence of these isolates from snacks which is ready to eat food in this study has serious public health implications.