1 Department of Biological Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, USA.
2 Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
3 Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Global Health and Infectious Disease Institute, Nasarawa State University, Nigeria.
4 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Akoka.
5Department of Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria.
6 Department of Applied Microbiology and Brewing, Faculty of Biosciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Research Article
GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 32(03), 025–030.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscbps.2025.32.3.0340
Received on 20 July 2025; revised on 1 September 2025; accepted on 4 September 2025
Escherichia coli (E. coli), a gram-negative bacterium, is a major concern for human and animal health. While most E. coli strains are commensal, some can become dangerous pathogens causing intestinal and systemic illnesses. Poultry meat is a potential source of infection; as resistant E. coli can be transmitted to humans through the food chain. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of E. coli O157:H7 in poultry faeces from a live bird market in Lagos, Nigeria.
Samples were enriched in TSB (9 mL) at 37 °C for 18–24 h, plated onto EMB and SMAC agar, and presumptive E. coli O157 isolates (non-sorbitol fermenters) were confirmed by latex agglutination, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on confirmed E. coli O157 isolates using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.
A total of 180 poultry fecal samples were analyzed. Out of these, 105 (58.33%) were identified as Escherichia coli isolates. The isolation process further revealed that 74 (41.11%) of the isolates were non-sorbitol fermenters, and 26 (14.44%) were confirmed as Escherichia coli O157:H7 using the latex agglutination test. The isolates showed high resistance to most of the tested antibiotics. The findings indicate a high prevalence and a high level of multidrug resistance in E. coli O157:H7 from indigenous chickens in Lagos' live bird markets. The presence of these pathogenic and resistant organisms poses a significant public health risk to individuals with direct contact with the birds and to consumers in Nigeria.
Escherichia Coli O157:H7; Poultry Faeces; Live Birds; Antibiotic Resistance; Public Health
Preview Article PDF
Sandra C. Okoye, Chidimma R. Chukwunwejim, Nzube F. Ekpunobi, Oluwabunmi S. Ajasa, Israel O. Ojuade, Nwasoluchukwu Obidi and Kingsley C. Agu. Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Poultry Faeces from Live Bird Markets in Lagos, Nigeria. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 32(3), 025-030. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/gscbps.2025.32.3.0340