Bacterial isolates from Nsukka meat market: a zoonotic appraisal

Swabs collected from butchers hands, knives, tables and meat displayed for sale at Nsukka meat market showed that every item screened was contaminated. Bacteria isolated include Streptococcus faecalis, coagulase positive Staphylococcus, Clostridium perfringens, Brucella species, Corynebacterium haemolyticum, Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas multophilia, P. rubescens and beta-haemolytic Streptococci. The zoonotic or public health implications of such contaminations, their probable sources and possible ways of minimizing them are discussed.