Prevalence and Antibiogram of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated from Herd of Goat, Cow and Ram at Obinze, Imo State, Nigeria

This study focused on the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from livestock in Obinze, Owerri Imo State Nigeria. A total of 100 nasal swabs sample were collected, 86 samples were from goat, 9 samples were from cow and five samples were from ram. The samples were inoculated onto mannitol salt agar and the culture plates were incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. The colonies showing yellow colour on mannitol salt agar were presumably identified as Staphylococcus spp; S. aureus was identified by biochemical tests. Antibiotics susceptibility pattern was determined by the disc diffusion method. The result of overall prevalence of the Staphylococcus aureus was 64%, with 62.79% isolates from goat sample, 66.67% isolates from cow sample and 80% isolates from ram samples. The frequency of resistance to antibiotics as observed in the animals were Sulphamethoxazole Trimethoprim 6 (12.77%), Nalidixic acid 32 (68.09%), Erythromycin 9 (19.15%), Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid 16 (34.04%), Amoxicillin 17 (36.17%), Oxacillin 26 (55.32%), Gentamycin 9 (19.15%), Ciprofloxacin 6 (12.77%), Norfloxacin 20 (42.55%), Ampicilin19 (40.43%), Streptomycin 17 (36.17%). Sulphamethoxazole-Trimethoprim and Ciprofloxacin were the most sensitive antibiotics. The antimicrobial resistant pattern of Staphylococcus aureus isolate from the animals showed that 7 (14.89%) of the isolate were resistant to only one antibiotic and 2 (4.26%) isolates were resistant to 2 antibiotics and multidrug resistance was observed in 24 (51.07%) isolate of from goat, cow and ram giving a total of 33 (70.22%) resistant to antimicrobial agent respectively. The high prevalence of resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus observed in this study may play a potential role of disseminating antibiotics resistant traits between animals and humans in the study area. Therefore, continued surveillance of this resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus is very important for early prevention and control of community acquired infection. Keyword Staphylococcus aureus, Antibiotic resistance, Nigeria. Introduction Domestic livestock serve as a main source of food for man, as so many of their products such as milk and meat are essential raw materials in food production industries and in the preparation of many other consumables. The ability of Staphylococcus aureus to grow and produce staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) under a wide range of conditions is evident from the variety of foods implicated in the staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) [1]. Similarly, there have been some reports indicating that domestic animals are the source of human infections, particularly humans in close contact with the animals either through the nature of their occupation or keeping the animals as pet. In this regard, the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important bacteria; particularly its methicillin resistant strain [2]. There is also evidence of the role of food animals in human methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in some countries and of pets as a possible source of human infection. Some group of individuals who work closely with animals, such as veterinarians have high MRSA colonization rates [3,4]. The use of antibiotics growth medication has expanded as the meat and livestock industry moved to more mass production. The drugs are added to animal feed to help them grow larger for slaughter, lower fat in the livestock and boost protein content. They are also meant to prevent bacteria including Escherichia coli, salmonella