Prevalence and profile of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from broiler meat in East Java, Indonesia

Background and Aim: Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria can avoid the mechanisms of action of antibiotic drugs, resulting in a reduced antibiotic activity. This is dangerous for animals and humans because treatment of infectious diseases can take longer and may even lead to treatment failure. Bacteria in meat can be the cause of meat-borne diseases for consumers. This study aimed to determine the resistance profile of Escherichia coli from broiler meat slaughtered in several local government poultry slaughterhouses in East Java. Materials and Methods: The 122 samples studied were from the pectoralis muscle of broilers from local government poultry slaughterhouses. The isolation and identification of E. coli from broiler meat were confirmed using MacConkey agar and eosin methylene blue agar, followed by Gram-staining, and an indole methyl red, Voges–Proskauer, and citrate test. The E. coli isolates were then tested for antibiotic resistance using the Kirby–Bauer method, and the results were interpreted using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results: The isolation and identification tests for E. coli indicated that 44.26 (54) of the samples were positive for E. coli. The results of the antibiotic resistance tests demonstrated that the resistance, from highest to lowest, was to erythromycin, trimethoprim, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, cephalothin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol antibiotics with resistance of 66.7, 61.1, 59.3, 35.2, 33.3, 27.8 , 24.1, and 24.1 respectively. Of the 54 isolates, 32 (59.26) were resistant to ≥3 antimicrobials. Conclusion: The study found that the prevalence of E. coli in broiler meat in East Java, Indonesia was 44.26. These bacteria were resistant to all of the antibiotics that were examined with high to very high resistance levels and are associated with multi-drug resistance (MDR) (59.26). The presence of E. coli in broiler meat for human consumption can cause meat-borne illness, and the discovery of MDR is a matter of concern in the One Health approach because apart from having an impact on human health as meat consumers, it can also have an impact on animal health and the environment.