الفهرس 
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Abstract
Abstract
One goal of this study was to offer a comprehensive knowledge of the sanitary state and safety of 80 samples, 40 each of chicken thigh and fish (Nile tilapia), obtained from El Menofia governorate by isolating Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and Shigella spp. using antibiotic-free medium. Surprisingly, 90% and 93% of chicken meat and fish samples were contaminated with Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. This implied that these products were prepared under unsanitary conditions and were likely subjected to fecal contamination. It is worth noting that no samples tested positive for Shigella spp. Due to the lack of information regarding the occurrence of ceftiofur-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates from food, the second major objective of this study was to measure the prevalence, population structure, and antibiotic resistance patterns of ceftiofur-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli in retail chicken and fish samples by adding ceftiofur to the isolation media. Ceftiofur-resistant Enterobacteriaceae was detected in 87.5% of chicken meat samples and 80% of fish samples. The majority of ceftiofur resistant isolates recovered from chicken meat exhibited multidrug resistance characteristics with higher resistance rates to ceftiofur (100%), ceftriaxone (97.5%), cefepime (97.5%), cefotaxime (95%), than ceftazidime (47.5%). Ten and nine antibiotic resistance patterns were identified from chicken meat and fish isolates, respectively. Similarly, all isolated strains from fish showed resistance to ceftiofur, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and oxytetracycline and the vast majority of strains (95.6%) were resistant to cefepime. Interestingly, 8.7% of fish isolates showed resistance to meropenem. On the other hand, ceftiofur resistant E. coli were isolated from chicken and fish samples at percentages of 45% and 47.5%, respectively. Several strains carried the beta lactamase resistance genes blaCTX-M, blaOXA blaTEM, and blaSHV. Furthermore, a few strains carried the quinolone resistance gene qnrS. Of note, chicken isolates showed higher levels of resistance to antibiotics, particularly for cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and oxytetracycline. None of isolated strains carried any virulence genes secerned in this study. In conclusion, the high prevalence of ceftiofur resistant Enterobacteriaceae reported in this study raise serious concerns about the public health and safety of retail fish and chicken meat, which might serve as a reservoir for these multidrug-resistant germs and could be passed on to humans via the food chain. Under One Health perspective, the monitoring and surveillance of fish and poultry should be encouraged to better control antibiotic resistance.
Keywords: Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, antibiotic resistance, chicken meat, fish, ceftiofur resistance