Multi-drug resistant Vibrio species isolated from abattoir effluents in Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: The antibiogram of Vibrio species isolated from abattoir effluents in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria was investigated in lieu of their public health significance. METHODOLOGY: Vibrio species were isolated and identified using standard microbiological and molecular techniques; while antibiogram of isolates was tested and interpreted according to the disc diffusion method described by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. RESULTS: Forty eight (48) out of 150 presumptive isolates (32%) were confirmed to be Vibrio spp. by PCR; of this number (48), 23(47.9%) were V. cholerae, 11(22.9%) V. fluvialis, 8(16.7%) V. vulnificus and 6(12.5%) V. parahaemolyticus. The antibiogram reveals that Vibrio species were generally resistant to ampicillin (60-67%), trimethoprim (80-100%) and tetracycline (60-83%); whereas they were sensitive to ceftriaxone (86-100%), the aminoglycosides (67-100%), imipenem (86-100%), ofloxacin (83-100%) and chloramphenicol (67-100%). The isolates exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) with an average MAR index of 0.23. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that abattoir effluents are important reservoirs for multidrug resistant Vibrio species that could be considerable contributors to the recurrent episodes of epidemic cholera and non-Vibrio cholerae infections in Nigeria.