Multidrug resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics in Escherichia coli isolated from barbecued beef (Suya) sold in a Nigerian City

INTRODUCTION: Suya, a form of barbecued meat widely consumed in Nigeria is a rising source of concern for the dissemination of pathogens and antibiotic resistance. METHODS: this study was carried out to determine the antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from Suya sold in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A total of three hundred (300) Suya samples were collected and screened for the presence of E. coli. An antibiotic susceptibility study was carried out on the isolated bacteria to determine their resistance profiles. RESULTS: the overall isolation and occurrence of E. coli was 13.3%. The isolated organisms were most resistant to Ampicillin (100%) followed by Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid (95%), Ciprofloxacin (92.5%), Nitrofurantoin, Imipenem and Ceftriaxone (85%), Cefixime (80%), Streptomycin (77.5%), and Cotrimoxazole (77%), with a low level of resistance recorded against Gentamycin (5%). Most of the E. coli isolates had multiple resistance (MAR) to at least five antibiotics (MAR Index of = 0.5) and the most frequent MAR Index was 0.8 with 37.5% occurrence. The most frequently encountered resistance phenotype was Nitrofurantoin-Imipenem-Streptomycin-Ciprofloxacin-Ceftriaxone-Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid-Cefixime-Ampicillin. The E. coli isolates categorised based on drug resistance classes were Multi-Drug Resistance, MDR (97.5%), Pan Drug Resistance, PDR (2.5%), Non-Multi-Drug Resistance, NMDR (0.0%) and Extensive Drug Resistance, XDR (0.0%). CONCLUSION: these findings indicate a potential danger of multidrug resistant organisms in circulation. Antibiotics stewardship and drug resistance surveillance is strongly recommended for all stakeholders