S.O SAHEED

With the poultry sector being among the fastest growing agro-based industries world-wide, the poultry farms have emerged as a perspective and widely distributed business industry in Nigeria. However the global increase in the incidence of food borne illnesses with poultry and its products being a major contributor to these infections has become a major challenge to poultry farming. The aim of this study is to isolate and identify different enteric bacteria, find the antimicrobial sensitivity profile against the pathogens isolated from selected poultry farms in Benin city, Edo state. A total of fifteen (15) freshly voided fecal sample were collected aseptically from different poultry farms. The samples were cultured on selective and differential media including Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar, MacConkey agar, Salmonella shigella (SS) agar and bacterial isolate were identified based on cultural, morphological and biochemical properties. Antibiotic sensitivity test was carried using Kirby-Buer disk diffusion method. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts obtained from the fecal sample ranged from 1.00 × 106 CFU/g to 65.00 × 106 CFU/g. Five bacterial species were identified: Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Proteus mirabilis. Among the identified bacterial isolate Escherichia coli had the highest frequency of (53.33%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca with a total frequency of (66.67%), Salmonella sp. with a frequency of (26.67%) while Proteus miribilis had the lowest frequency of (4.35%). E. coli and Klebsiella spp. demonstrated resistance to most βlactams, while Salmonella spp. were resistant to β-lactams and gentamicin (aminoglycoside) but showed low susceptibility to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin). Proteus mirabilis was resistant to all antibiotics tested. Overall, over 80.00% of isolates exhibited resistance to at least two antibiotic classes. These findings underscore the presence of multidrug-resistant enteric bacteria in poultry environments and highlight the need for improved antibiotic stewardship, surveillance, and farm biosecurity.

With the poultry sector being among the fastest growing agro-based industries world-wide, the poultry farms have emerged as a perspective and widely distributed business industry in Nigeria. However the global increase in the incidence of food borne illnesses with poultry and its products being a major contributor to these infections has become a major challenge to poultry farming. The aim of this study is to isolate and identify different enteric bacteria, find the antimicrobial sensitivity profile against the pathogens isolated from selected poultry farms in Benin city, Edo state. A total of fifteen (15) freshly voided fecal sample were collected aseptically from different poultry farms. The samples were cultured on selective and differential media including Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar, MacConkey agar, Salmonella shigella (SS) agar and bacterial isolate were identified based on cultural, morphological and biochemical properties. Antibiotic sensitivity test was carried using Kirby-Buer disk diffusion method. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts obtained from the fecal sample ranged from 1.00 × 106 CFU/g to 65.00 × 106 CFU/g. Five bacterial species were identified: Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Proteus mirabilis. Among the identified bacterial isolate Escherichia coli had the highest frequency of (53.33%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca with a total frequency of (66.67%), Salmonella sp. with a frequency of (26.67%) while Proteus miribilis had the lowest frequency of (4.35%). E. coli and Klebsiella spp. demonstrated resistance to most βlactams, while Salmonella spp. were resistant to β-lactams and gentamicin (aminoglycoside) but showed low susceptibility to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin). Proteus mirabilis was resistant to all antibiotics tested. Overall, over 80.00% of isolates exhibited resistance to at least two antibiotic classes. These findings underscore the presence of multidrug-resistant enteric bacteria in poultry environments and highlight the need for improved antibiotic stewardship, surveillance, and farm biosecurity.

Laurus nobilis, generally known as “bay leaf” belongs to Lauraceae family of plants. It contains compounds which have potential use for food safety because of the antimicrobial properties. Its leaves are widely used in traditional medicines and for food seasoning. This study was aimed at investigating the phytochemical constituents and antifungal effects of Laurus nobilis on selected pathogens; Fusarium solani, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium chrysogenum which were obtained from hair, foot, and toenail samples from some students in the department of microbiology, University of Benin (UNIBEN) using swab sticks and confirmatory tests were carried out using cultural and biochemical methods. The fungi isolates were identified using cultural and morphological characteristics as well as the colour of spores, types of spores, and nature of hyphae. The phytochemical screening of the leaf was done using standard methods. Antifungal susceptibility was done using poisoned food method. Extraction was done after 2 days and 4 days. The percentage composition of saponin, alkaloid, tannin, flavonoid and total polyphenol in the L. nobilis leaves were 4.40%, 4.00%, 13.50%, 11.00%, and 0.010% respectively. In the L. nobilis leaf extract for 2 days and 4 days, F. solani had the highest radial growth of 44.00mm and 31.50mm obtained from ethanol and methanol at 300mg/ml and 400mg/ml respectively. The highest percentage mycelial growth inhibition for 2 days and 4 days were 40.74% and 39.06% obtained from F. solani and P. chrysogenum respectively. The results showed great antifungal activities of the leaves extracts against the selected isolates. From the antifungal activity, it could be noted that L. nobilis extracts in general, offers some potential in the combating of diseases caused by these fungal agents, and may be screened for activity
against several other human and plant pathogens.