Bacterial isolates from poultry litters and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Poultry wastes or litters are generally added to the soil as a fertilizer. The final step in the poultry farming
management strategy entails a big risk for the environment due to the nutrients and microorganisms contained
in high concentrations in these waste materials. The objective of this study was to isolate bacteria from poultry
wastes and test their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. A cross sectional study was conducted. Forty four
samples were analyzed from five poultry farms, in Gondar town from February, 2012 to March, 2012. A total of
52 bacterial pathogens were isolated from 44 samples of poultry wastes. Gram-negative bacteria were more
prevalent 35 (67.3%) than Gram-positive bacteria 13(32.5%). Isolated organisms having public health
importance include E.coli, S.aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumonia, Serratia spp., Enterobacter
cloacae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), Citrobacter diversus and other
Citrobacter spp,. The most commonly isolated bacteria were E. coli 24 (46%) followed by S. aureus 10 (19%),
CNS 7(13.5 %), Enterobacter aerogenes 3(5.8), Enterobacter cloacae 2 (4%), Serratia spp., 2(4%) and others
4(7.7%). All bacterial isolates demonstrate multi-drug resistant for tested antimicrobials. High antimicrobial
resistant was observed for ampicillin (94%), penicillin (92%), tetracycline (64%), erythromycin 56%), whereas,
Low antimicrobial resistance was seen for Kanamycine (2%), Ciprofloxacilin (4%), and chloramphinicol (11%).
no resistant was observed for Vancomycin and methicillin. Medically important multidrug resistance species
were isolated from poultry litters and some of the bacterial isolates are potentially pathogenic for humans and
animals. The present study recommends proper information dissemination to farmers and poultry feeds
producers about the public health importance of proper poultry litter disposal.