This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae in cooked and sold food samples obtained from private and public on campus restaurants of Félix Houphouët-Boigny University and Nangui Abrogoua University of Abidjan, Côte dIvoire, to identify the antibiotic resistance genes and to determine the resistance profile of K. pneumoniae. Bacteriological analyses consisted of the enrichment of buffered peptone broth followed by culture on Violet Red Bile Glucose Agar (VRBG) medium. The characteristic colonies were subjected to biochemical identification by analytical profile index (API) 20E kit. Twenty-four K. pneumoniae were isolated from cooked and served samples. The frequencies of K. pneumoniae isolates were 8.3% (2/24) in rice samples, 20.8% in fish soup samples, 4.2% in attiéké samples, 37.5% in raw fresh vegetable samples, and 29.2% in fried fish samples. Thirteen K. pneumoniae strains harbored the beta-lactamase gene (blaSHV). Antimicrobial resistance profile of K. pneumoniae against nine antibiotics showed high resistance rates for amoxicillin (92.3%), amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (76.9%), ticarcillin + clavulanic acid (76.9%), ceftriaxone (92.2%), cefotaxime (92.2%), and ceftazidime (92.2%). Our findings raise concerns that food cooked and sold by universitys private and public restaurants poses a serious threat to consumers health since K. pneumoniae that harbored blaSHV genes was found in this food. Authorities of universities should undertake sanitation control and prevention strategies in order for restaurants to improve the food quality and hygiene of the restaurant environment and staff.
Key words: collective catering, Klebsiella pneumoniae, academia, Abidjan.
|
