CHARACTERISING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES FROM SMALLHOLDER POULTRY DROPPINGS IN SELECTED LOCATIONS IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The misuse of antibiotics within poultry settings, which is globally recognized as a major health and food security burden is less emphasized in the smallholder poultry production systems (SPPS). The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial species isolated from chickens raised under SPPS in the Guinea Savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) fresh poultry droppings were aseptically collected randomly from two tropically adapted [Noiler (40) and FUNAAB Alpha (40)] and Local chickens (40) of equal sexes in Gitta Mbasha and Karshi, Nasarawa State. The birds were subjected to two management conditions (use of antibiotics and ethnoveterinary medicine practice). Bacteria were isolated, identified, characterized and analyzed using standard protocols and appropriate statistical tools. Salmonella species (57.5%) and Escherichia coli (34.2%) were the most prevalent (χ2 = 96.67; P<0.001) in the study area. Prevalence of bacterial species was only significantly (P <0.05) influenced by antibiotics usage in poultry farms. All the four bacterial species isolated were multidrug resistant. FUNAAB alpha (58.0%) and Noiler (44.0%) were highly resistant to Quinolones, while their local counterparts (22.6%) exhibited more resistance to Aminoglycosides class of antibiotics. The clustering of bacterial species isolated with similar antibiogram revealed an evidence of inter–species dependence with possible animal and human health including environment risk implications. However, the present findings should be consolidated with further studies on genomics to better comprehend and exploit the genetic nature of antimicrobial resistance. Farmers should also exercise caution in the use of antibiotic drugs while adopting appropriate biosecurity measures and good hygiene