Isolation And Identification Of S. Aureus From Live Birds In Umuahia Abia State, Nigeria:- Ojiako Chukwuka J

ABSTRACT ix Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacteria that is responsible for a number of illness including food borne toxaemia. Research has shown that there are strains that are resistant to the drug of choice, Penicillin, and as a consequence, limiting treatment options and enhancing its overall effect on health. This study aims to determine the presence of 5. aureus from the cloaca and nostrils of live birds in umuahia .The objectives were to isolate 5. aureus, to determine the susceptibility ofthe isolates to a panel of antibiotics and to determine the MIC ofVancomycin. Swab samples from both cloaca and nostrils oflive broiler birds were taken for isolation of S. aureus, the isolates were subjected to conventional means of staphylococcus identification including coagulase test, catalase test and sugar fermentation test. Antibiotic susceptibility as well as MIC for Vancomycin was determined. The result of the antibiotic testing showed 100% resistance to Penicillin, Oxacillin and Ampicillin. A range of 30-90% resistance was recorded for other commonly used antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftriazone which is relatively high and suggest a correlation between resistance to Penicillin and other routine antibiotics in poultry, however Sulphamethoxazole, Trimethoprim and Gentamycin which are not commonly used in poultry management showed a lower percentage resistance ranging from 10% to 20%. The results of the MIC for Vancomyin ranged from l-4pg/ml with one isolate being Vancomycin intermediate . From our study we can say that S. aureus is present in live birds and can serve as potential source of poultry and poultry product contamination during processing and the need to curb indiscriminate use of antibiotics cannot be overemphasized due to the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance and fatal outcome due resistance to the reserve drug Vancomycin.