Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Listeria species isolated from some ready-to-eat foods sold in Kano, north-western Nigeria

Abstract

The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species isolated from some ready-to-eat (RTE) foods sold in Kano metropolis, north-western Nigeria was carried out using disc-diffusion method. The results obtained showed that L. monocytogenes was moderately susceptible to all the antibiotics tested while L. inovanii and L. seelegeri exhibited high and low susceptibility patterns respectively. However, all the species were resistant to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, augmentin and ceftriazone. Considering the fact that L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species tested in this study are slowly becoming antibiotic resistant; a situation that poses a threat to both human and animal health, the continuous examination of emerging antimicrobial resistance of these pathogens is important to ensure effective treatment of human listeriosis. The results of this study could therefore help in enriching the data on antibiotic resistance of Listeria strains isolated from foods and in developing effective risk management strategies. In addition, it is recommended that more research be conducted to ascertain the presence of these organisms in other food items in Kano, Nigeria.

Keywords: Listeria species, Ready-to-eat foods, Antimicrobial susceptibility, Kano, Nigeria.