ABSTRACT

The presence of extended spectrum beta lactamase producing bacteria from ready to eat foods (agidi and moi moi) sold in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike was accessed. Using standard isolation and identification techniques, the isolated organisms were identified as Escherichia coli sp, Salmonella sp, Klebsiella sp, Shigella sp. The antimicrobial susceptibility Testing of all identified isolates was done using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. All the isolates were screened according to CLSI break point and confirmed using the Double disk, synergy test(DDST) The percentage occurrence of the isolates indicated (37%) for E.coli, (23%) were Salmonella spp, (21%) were Klebsiella spp, and (19%) were Shigella sp. The antibiogram done on the isolates showed that Escherichia coli sp isolates showed high resistance to Cefotaxime, Cefixime, Oflaxcin, Amoxicillin and Ceftriazone, Salmonella spp isolates exhibited high resistance to Cefotaxime, Gentamycin and Oflaxcin, Klebsiella spp isolates showed greatest resistance to cefotaxime and gentamycin and that of Shigella sp isolate exhibited highest resistance to Cefotaxime and Cetrafiazone. The ESBL screening of the isolates showed that E: coli sp had the highest occurrence of 43.8%, and Klebsiella sp had the lowest occurrence with 0%. The DDST confirmatory test for the isolates showed that E. coli and Salmonella sp had the highest occurrence with 37.5% and 30.0% respectively. This research work has confirmed the presence of extended spectrum beta lactamase producing enteric bacteria in ready to eat food (Agidi and Moi-Moi) sold within Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. There is a need for the vendors to strictly observe food safety principles and personal hygiene during preparation, packaging and selling of food.