Plasmid Profile and Multidrug Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolated From Swine in Aba Abia State Nigeria

Plasmid play a vital role in the emergence of multi-drug resistant bacteria. A total of 90 isolates of Escherichia coli was recovered from 100 swab samples (neonate, piglet and adult pigs). The isolates were identified based on morphological and biochemical classification. Twenty (20) of the representative isolates were confirmed using molecular method and then used for plasmid profile analysis. The isolates were tested for their antibiotic sensitivity and were found to be resistant to amoxicillin, oxacillin, erythromycine and streptomycin at 100%, 96%, 76% and 68% respectively. Multi-drug phenotypic characteristics were found in recovered bacteria. Escherichia coli (24.0%) exhibited resistant with the predominant resistance patterns of CIP-OXF-CET-CEZ-GEN-AUG-CXM. Plasmid cure was observed in some of the bacterial isolates which indicate that resistance was plasmid mediated while those that were not cured are chromosomally mediated. The study revealed that there were multidrug resistant strains of E. coli in Swine. Molecular detection of E. coli showed bands with amplicon size of 160bp. The plasmid showed poor visible band and the procedure may account for this. From the study, swine may serve as source of intermediate host for antimicrobial resistant.