Browsing by Author "Mkopi, Jackson Chrispin"

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Antimicrobial resistance pattern of escherichia coli and salmonella species, isolated from domestic and peridomestic rodents in Iringa municipality, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2024-05) Mkopi, Jackson Chrispin
Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella species are two of the most common causes of foodborne illness worldwide. E. coli is a Gram- negative bacterium that is found in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but some strains can cause serious infections, such as food poisoning and urinary tract infections. Salmonella species is a gram-negative bacterium that is found in the environment and in the intestines of animals. Salmonella species can cause a variety of infections, including gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, and paratyphoid fever. Antimicrobial resistance is a major concern in the treatment of E. coli and Salmonella infections. When E. coli and Salmonella species become resistant to antimicrobials, they are more difficult to treat, which can lead to more severe infections and even death. Rodents are known to be reservoirs of E. coli and Salmonella spp. bacteria. Rodents can transmit E. coli and Salmonella spp. to humans and other animals through their faeces, urine, and saliva. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from domestic and peridomestic rodents in Iringa, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The study sites possessing favourable rodents habitats were purposively selected. A total of eight wards (sampling sites) were selected. The target study population was rodents, a total of 153 rodents were trapped in Iringa municipality, Tanzania. The rodents were trapped in both domestic and peridomestic settings. Following euthanization, rats were identified to genus/species level using morphological and morphometric features. Faecal swab samples were collected from the rodents and pre-enriched in buffered peptone water, followed by culture and biochemical tests for identification of E. coli and Salmonella spp. Molecular confirmation tests were done using 16RrRNA PCR identification methods. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion method comprising five antimicrobials, including tetracycline (30μg), ciprofloxacin (5μg), gentamicin (10μg), ceftriaxone (30μg), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (25μg). Seven resistant genes were analyzed by PCR, which were blaCTX-M, blaSHV, sul1, sul2, tetA, acr(A), and aac(3)-1 in each isolate. Three rodent species, Rattus rattus (75.2%), Mastomys natalensis (23.5%), and Mus musculus (1.3%), were captured. 17 (11.1%) E. coli were detected, and no Salmonella species were isolated. All 17 isolates were susceptible to Gentamycin, while Sulphamethaxazole/Trimethoprim was highly resistant (52.9%). Four E. coli isolates exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR), whereby 75% of these MDR isolates originated from the same area. Six resistant genes were detected: blaCTX-M, sul1, sul2, tetA, acr(A), and aac (3)-1, where the acr(A) resistant gene was the most abundant. There were co-occurrences of the resistant genes per isolate such as sul2, acr(A), and aac(3)-1. This study reveals the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli isolated from rodents, providing preliminary data on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistant features of these pathogens in their respective reservoirs in Iringa municipality. The study recommends observation of regular antimicrobial resistance screening and improvement in rodent management and control programs in the studied area.