ABSTRACT

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) are a group of plasmid mediated, diverse complex and rapidly evolving enzymes that are posing a major therapeutic challenge today in the treatment of hospitalized and community based patients.In the presnt study, 10 samples each of the wash water of ready to eat vegetables (tomatoes and cabbage) were collected from different strategic market vendors in Abia state and were analyzed for the screening of Extended Spectrum Beta- Lactamase producing organisms on ready to eat food(wash water of vegetables)tomatoes and cabbage. Organisms isolated were Escherichia coli,Shigella spp, Salmonella spp, Klebsiella spp, using different culture media and biochemical test. At present organizations such as the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute provided guidelines for the detection of ESBLs in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Salmonella spp and Shigella spp in reasy to eat food (wash water of vegetables)tomatoes and cabbage. Using antibiotic multi disk for determining resistance and susceptibility percentage, use of the CLSI breakpoint standard to screen and the use of the Double Disk Synergy Test (DDST) to confirm ESBLs contained in the sample. More effective drugs such as carbapenems, cephamycins, fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, beta-lactamase inhibitor (clavulanic acid, tazobactam, or sulbactam), colistin should be used more often for treatment of infections.