Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of Microorganisms Isolated from Smoked and Frozen Fishes Sold in Benin and Warri Metropolis

Abstract

Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of microorganisms isolated from smoked and frozen fishes sold in Benin and Warri metropolis were investigated. Adopting microbiological standard techniques, the results of the bacterial counts and fungal counts ranged from 5.4 x 106 (Ekpan market) to 25.1 x 106 (Ekpan market) and 1.1 x 105 (Ekpan and New Benin market) to 2.9 x 105(Effurun market). Six bacterial species namely; Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas sp., Corynebacterium sp., Micrococcus sp. and four fungal species namely; Aspergillus spp., Fusarium sp., Mucor sp. and Penicillium spp. were identified. Majority of the bacteria were isolated from fish samples from Benin City Markets (51.1%, n = 23) while (48.9%, n = 22) were obtained from Warri Markets. Bacillus spp. were the most predominant (35.6 %) and Micrococcus sp. was the least predominant among the bacterial isolates (2.2%). Aspergillus sp. was recorded the most predominant (37.1%) while Penicillium sp. (14.3%) was the least predominant among the isolated fungi. The isolated bacteria (Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Micrococcus sp.) were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and showed resistance to zinnacef and rocephin. These findings show that fish samples from different markets harbour varied levels of potentially pathogenic organisms which could pose health threat to consumers. Proper handling, processing and storage methods should be put in place to reduce potential health risk.

Keywords: fishes, bacterial and fungal, isolates, antibiotic