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ABSTRACT
Ready-to-eat vegetable salad sold in some parts of Benin Metropolis was investigated to determine the prevalence and antibiotics resistance pattern of E.coli isolated from them using standard microbiological methods. Result of the investigation shows that E.coli was present in almost all the vegetable salad sampled in this research. Result of the total heterotrophic count shows that Sapele road had the highest average count of 3.69±1.09x104cfu/g while Ugbor had the lowest count of 2.53±0.58x104cfu/g. Result of the total E.coli count on Eosin Methylene Blue shows that Sapele road had the highest count of 2.54±0.28x103cfu/g while Ugbor had the lowest E.coli count of 1.95±0.52x103cfu/g. Various biochemical tests were carried out on the isolates which includes Voges-Proskeuer, methyl red, indole, motility, H2S production, gas production, oxidase, citrate utilization, catalase and urease tests. The prevalence rate based on the number of samples collected from each axis shows that E.coli was isolated from Ugbor(100%), Legacy campus(80%), Uselu(100%), Sapele road(60%) and Ring road(100%). Result of the antibiotic resistance pattern shows that all the isolates were resistant at a percentage to Ceftazidime(100%), Cefuroxime(98%), Gentamicin(72%), Cefixime(100%), Augumentin(100%), Nitrofurantion(96%). However, they were all sensitive to Ciprofloxacin(0%) and Ofloxacin(5%). The result of this investigation is of public health concern as E.coli have previously been implicated as possible agents of food infections of serious dimensions. Hence it is important that adequate cleaning and precaution be taken of food products. It is important to research on the antibiotic resistance pattern because it provides information on the pathogenic organism isolated from samples and assists in choosing the most appropriate antibiotic for the treatment.
