Analysis of Retrospective Laboratory Data on the Burden of Bacterial Pathogens Isolated at the National Veterinary Research Institute Nigeria, 2018–2021

• Published in: Veterinary sciences 2023-08, Vol.10 (8), p.505
• Main Authors: Kabantiyok, Dennis, Gyang, Moses D, Agada, Godwin O, Ogundeji, Alice, Nyam, Daniel, Uhiara, Uchechi G, Abiayi, Elmina, Dashe, Yakubu, Ngulukun, Sati, Muhammad, Maryam, Adegboye, Oyelola A, Emeto, Theophilus I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agribusiness; Analysis; Animals; Antibiotics; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Bacteria; Bacteriology; Campylobacter; Cephalosporins; Disease; Drug resistance; Drug resistance in microorganisms; E coli; Economic indicators; farm animals; Farms; Food; Food security; Food supply; Foodborne pathogens; Genes; Klebsiella; Laboratories; Listeria; Livestock; Livestock industry; Methicillin; Microorganisms; Nigeria; Pathogenic microorganisms; Pathogens; Population; Poultry; Pseudomonas; Public health; Quinolones; Research centers; retrospective; Safety; Safety and security measures; Salmonella; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcus infections; Tetracycline; Tetracyclines; Toxins; Zoonoses; β-Lactam antibiotics
• ISSN: 2306-7381; 2306-7381
• DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10080505

Farm animals harbour bacterial pathogens, which are often viewed as important indicators of animal health and determinants of food safety. To better understand the prevalence and inform treatment, we audited laboratory data at the Bacteriology Laboratory of the NVRI from 2018–2021. Antibiotics were classified into seven basic classes: quinolones, tetracyclines, beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, nitrofuran, and cephalosporins. Trends were analysed using a generalised linear model with a log link function for the Poisson distribution, comparing proportions between years with an offset to account for the variability in the total number of organisms per year. Avian (73.18%) samples were higher than any other sample. The major isolates identified were Escherichia. coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus spp., Proteus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. We found that antimicrobial resistance to baseline antibiotics increased over the years. Of particular concern was the increasing resistance of Klebsiella spp. to cephalosporins, an important second-generation antibiotic. This finding underscores the importance of farm animals as reservoirs of pathogens harbouring antimicrobial resistance. Effective biosecurity, surveillance, and frugal use of antibiotics in farms are needed because the health of humans and animals is intricately connected.