Identification of Extended-Spectrumβ-LactamasesEscherichia coliStrains Isolated from Market Garden Products and Irrigation Water in Benin

Abstract

The present study aimed at biochemical and molecular characterization ofEscherichia colistrains isolated from horticultural products and irrigation water of Cotonou. The samples were collected from 12 market gardeners of 4 different sites. Rapid’E. colimedium was used for identification ofE. colistrains and the antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by the agar disk diffusion method. Theβ-lactamases production was sought by the liquid acidimetric method. The genes coding forβ-lactamases and toxins were identified by PCR method. The results revealed that about 34.95% of the analyzed samples were contaminated byE. coli. Cabbages were the most contaminated byE. coli(28.26%) in dry season. All isolated strains were resistant to amoxicillin. The penicillinase producingE. colicarriedblaTEM(67.50%),blaSHV(10%), andblaCTX-M(22.50%) genes. The study revealed that the resistance genes such as SLTI (35.71%), SLTII (35.71%), ETEC (7.15%), and VTEC (21.43%) were carried. Openly to the found results and considering the importance of horticultural products in Beninese food habits, it is important to put several strategies aiming at a sanitary security by surveillance and sensitization of all the actors on the risks of some practices.