| Abstract: |
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli is one of the significant food-borne pathogens transmissible from food products of animal origin to humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic resistance of E. coli isolates obtained from goat carcasses in Kerman abattoir against β-lactam antibiotics. In this study, 150 goat carcasses were examined at the Kerman slaughterhouse over a one-year period in 2023. From each carcass, two swab samples were collected, one from the internal surface and one from the external surface, resulting in a total of 300 swabs (150 carcasses x 2 swabs = 300 swabs). After culturing the swabs and isolating E. coli, the resistance of the isolates to cefotaxime and ceftazidime was determined using the disk diffusion method, and the genes blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and blaOXA were detected using PCR. Overall, 190 of 300 the swabs (63.33%) were positive for E. coli, resulting in 190 isolates. Among these, 45.27% (86 of 190 isolates) were resistant to cefotaxime, and 26.32% (50 of 190 isolates) were resistant to ceftazidime. The frequencies of the blaTEM, blaCTX-M, blaSHV, and blaOXA genes were 8.94% (17 of 190 isolates), 7.89% (15 of 190 isolates), 2.1% (4 of 190 isolates), and 2.1% (4 of 190 isolates), respectively. As a result, this study identifies goat carcasses as a potential reservoir of β-lactam-resistant E. coli, posing a significant public health challenge in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |