Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

PLASMID PROFILE OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES OBTAINED FROM KARA ABATTOIR, BERGER, OGUN STATE

A.E. OKOUGBO AND N. DE

Abstract

- Water and soil environments are ideal media for the aggregation and dissemination of antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which can pose a serious threat to human health. As a result of this, the aim of this research work was to determine the plasmid profile of bacteria isolated from environmental samples collected from an abattoir situated in Kara Community, Berger, Ogun State. The water samples collected for this purpose were tap water, reservoir water, downstream Ogun River, water after washing cattle and waste water from the gutter. The soil samples were collected from the places where solid waste materials are disposed. The pH values of water and soil samples were in the ranges of 6.56 - 6.81 and 6.95 - 7.63 respectively. The Total Bacterial Count (TBC) values of water samples and soil samples were in the ranges of 1.0 x 103 – 2.5x 106cfu/mL and 7.5 x 104 – 7.0 x 106 cfu/g respectively. The Values of TCC for water samples were more than 1100 MPN/100mL. The bacterial isolates mainly obtained from the collected environmental samples were species of Klebsiella (25%), Salmonella (14%), Lactobacillus (10%), Corynebacterium and Actinomycetes (8%). All the fifty one isolates showed multidrug resistance to different antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, amoxicillin, augmenting, ceftriazone, cefotaxime, nitrofurantoin, ceftazidime and gentamicin with a record of high resistance to ceftriazone (80%) and low resistance to ofloxacin (90%) among Gram positive organisms. The isolated Gram negative organisms showed highest resistance to ampicillin (100%) and low resistance to ofloxacin (12%). Plasmid profiling data showed that 34 isolates possess different types of plasmids (sizes within 1 kb pairs). Antibiotic sensitivity profiling after plasmid curing showed that some of the Gram positive isolates after curing were sensitive to gentamycin, augmentin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and ofloxacin whereas the isolates were resistant to these antibiotics before curing. Also some Gram negative cured isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, gentamycin, ceftazidime, cefuroxime where as the parent ones were resistant to these antibiotics. Presence of plasmid mediated isolates in soil and water samples from this abattoir is a public health concern as bacteria have reached the resistance to most of the antibiotics that are available for treatment.