dc.description.abstract | Commercial poultry production is an important farming enterprise in most parts of Kenya. The
treatment of enteric infections in animals has been complicated through development of
antimicrobial-resistant microbes. Occurrence of Multiple forms of drug resistance patterns has
rendered chemotherapy drugs less effective in management of microbial infection. Multidrugresistant
Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae places
great threat towards public health by raising morbidity and mortality particularly in developing
countries. Accurate statistics on the frequency and mechanism of antibiotic resistance
development in enteric micro-organisms isolated from poultry and persons in Kenya is scarce.
This current study determined the extent of antimicrobial use, and resistance patterns in
selected Enterobacteriaceae isolated from commercial poultry production systems in Kiambu
County, Kenya.
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on commercial poultry production systems
of Kiambu County to ascertain the knowledge level, attitudes, and practices on antibiotics use
in addition to their resistant patterns on selected Enterobacteraceae species. One hundred and
fifty six commercial poultry farmers were purposively selected from the following subcounties;
Ruiru (n=33), Juja (n=20), Gatundu North (n=20), Gatundu South (n=19), Thika
(n=27) and Kikuyu (n=37) respectively. One hundred and fifty-six (n=156) semi-structured
questionnaires imprinted in a mobile Open data kit were administered to capture the knowledge
level, attitudes, and practices on antimicrobial usage in commercial poultry production systems
of Kiambu County. A total of 437 fecal samples (cloacal swabs (n=365), and Human stool
(n=72)) were collected, followed by bacterial isolation, confirmation, antibiotics susceptibility
tests, and molecular detection of ESBLs genes and Quinolones resistance (QNRs) were
detected using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Out of 156 commercial poultry
farmers who participated in this study, females accounted for (64%) with 51% of them keeping
layers between 50-500 birds as medium-scale farmers. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the farmers
were 45 years and above, and they had obtained a secondary level of education (34%). Sixty
seven percent (67%) of the farmers obtain antibiotics through self-prescription/personal
experience from the drug shops. Farmers identified lack of enough veterinary officers (77%)
and consultation services (72%) as key challenges in poultry production system. Sixty three
percent (63%) of the respondents, indicated tetracycline as the most commonly used antibiotic
in their farms, with oxytetracyclines subtype (85%) being the most preferred. Also amoxicillin
(63%) was equally preferred by farmers with amoxi (88%) sub-types being the most preferred,
xxi
respectively. Nearness to veterinary services significantly (P<0.05) contributed to the use of
antibiotics agents. Additionally, the area of residence, type of production, number of years in
farming, and average number of birds kept also significantly (P<0.05) influenced the level of
knowledge and practice on antimicrobial usage. Out of 437 fecal and stool samples collected,
591 (Cloacal isolates=544; human isolates= 47) isolates were recovered, with E.coli (48.9%)
being the most frequently identified, followed by Shigella spp. (18.8%), Salmonella spp.
(18.3%), and Klebsiella spp. (14.0%).There was a great occurrence of multiple resistance
among isolates especially towards sulfamethoxazole (79%), trimethoprim (71%), and
tetracyclines (59%), respectively. Additionally, the isolates showed the highest rate of
susceptibility against cefuroxime (94%), gentamicin (93%), ceftriaxone (91%), cefepime
(89%), cefotaxime (85%), ceftazidime (84%), and chloramphenicol (77%), respectively.
Out of the isolates (n=78) collected with potential ESBLs production, only 66 (84%) tested
positive for the target genes with the utmost detected ESBL genetic factor from the isolates
being blaOXA (n=20; 26%), followed by blaTEM (n=16, 21%), with the majority of them
detected in Escherichia coli. In all the four enteric's bacteria-type isolates tested, the blaCTXM
gene was detected. Three (n=3) Salmonella, and E.coli spp respectively harbored all the five
tested antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene types. The blaTEM, blaOXA, blaSHV, and QnrS
genes were not detected from Klebsiella and Shigella spps. Additionally, most of the AMR
gene co-carriage was detected in both E.coli and Salmonella spps as follows blaTEM+blaOXA
(n=4); blaTEM+QnrS (n=3); blaTEM+blaOXA+Qnrs (n=3), concurrently.
It was concluded that both fecal and stool materials from commercial poultry and humans can
be a reservoir of multi-drug resistance enterics. This is a potential route of spreading out
resistance genes amongst livestock and Humans, which pose a great danger to public health of
Kiambu County residence. There is also need to strengthen antimicrobial surveillance and
monitoring strategies at County level. It was recommended that the results of the current study
be used in formulating strategies and informed decisions in combating antibiotic resistance and
irrational usage of antibiotics in commercial poultry production in Kiambu County and other
areas with similar poultry production systems in Kenya. | en_US |
dc.description.department | a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya | |