Extended spectrum beta lactamases-producing Escherichia coli in retail chicken meat from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

In human diet, poultry meat is an important component due to the presence of vitamins, proteins and minerals. But poultry meat can be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria which are responsible for food borne infections. The current study was therefore aimed at identification of Escherichia coli, a common pathogen causing food borne infections, in chicken samples (n = 400) collected from three districts of KhyberPukhtunkhwa; Peshawar, Kohat and Nowshera. The isolates were identified by Gram staining, API strips and through PCR (Universal Stress Protein). A total of 174 samples were positive for E. coli among the collected chicken samples. The isolates were resistant to TE, NOR and NA while were sensitive to MEM, TZP and FOS. The results were statistically significant having value P ≤ 0.05 in ANOVA. The isolates showed different antibiotic resistance genes; OXA-1, CTX-M15, blaTEM, QnrS, TetA, AAC, AAD, sul1 and sul2 which is the molecular explanations of their antibiotic resistance pattern. The PCR products were sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and the results revealed mutations in AAC gene (M120T and R197T) and CTX-M15 (A85V, N122D, A148S and G247D). To prevent and treat pathogenic diseases, the use of antimicrobial agents in animal husbandry are of utmost concern. The over-use and misuse of antimicrobial agents has made pathogenic E. coli multi drugs resistant making it a causative agent for many diseases in human beings. The results of the current study may be helpful for the physicians the better management of the diseases caused by E. coli.