Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Enteric Bacteria from Poultry Farms in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

With poultry being the most abundant domestic animals worldwide, poultry farms have emerged as a prospective and widely distributed business industry in Nigeria. The outbreak of several deadly diseases that cause economic loss and discourage poultry keeping is a major challenge to poultry farming. The main goal of this study is to isolate and identify different enteric bacteria and to find the antimicrobial sensitivity profile against the pathogens isolated from specific poultry farms in Kano State. A total of 50 samples, including both poultry feed and droppings, were collected from five different poultry farms for analysis to detect the presence of enteric bacteria. The results revealed that all bacterial isolates displayed varying levels of resistance to the tested antibiotics, but they were completely susceptible to Sulfamethoxazole and Cephalexin. In general, the results of this study indicate that these samples serve as sources of E. coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Proteus mirabilis in poultry. These pathogenic bacteria pose a health threat, potentially leading to food poisoning and infections in both animals and humans. Consequently, efficient control measures such as proper management and handling of poultry birds, and sensitization of farmers on the abuse of antibiotics are crucial to prevent cross-contamination within poultry houses and ensure the provision of high quality poultry products.