ABSTRACT
Seafood is one of the important sources for food, nutrition, income and livelihoods and has been recommended to be consumed more frequently by nutritionists and health experts. Klebsiella may however contaminate seafood during processing, preparation and storage stages which could result into illnesses ranging from mild pneumonia to life-threatening diseases. Fifty two (52) seafood samples which include 6 shrimp, 15 periwinkle, 9 frozen fish, 7 smoked fish and 15 crayfish were collected from five local markets in Benin City, Nigeria and assessed in this study. The occurrence of Klebsiella species in seafood based on cultural and biochemical characterization were shrimps [5/6 (83.3%)], periwinkles [4/15 (26.7%)], frozen fish [1/9 (11.1%)], smoked fish [0/7 (0%)] and crayfish [2/15 (13.3%)]. The highest prevalence occurred in shrimp samples, while there was no occurrence observed in smoked fish samples. These include New Benin market [6/13 (46.2%)], Oba market [5/13 (38.5%)], New Market [0/9 (0%)], Ekiosa market [0/8 (0%)] and Uselu market [1/9 (11.1%)]. The highest occurrence was observed at New Benin market (38.5%) while there was no occurrence observed at New Market and Ekiosa market. In overall, the total Klebsiella species positive samples were 12/52(23.1%). The resistance demonstrated by the isolates were gentamicin [0/5 (0%)], ampicillin [4/5 (80%)], tetracycline [2/5 (40%)], ceftazidime [5/5 (100%)], nitrofurantoin [2/5 (40%)], amoxicillin-clavulate [1/5(20%)] and imipenem [5/5 (100%)]. The highest resistance was demonstrated to ceftazidime and imipenem with both demonstrating a resistance rate of 100%. The multiple antibiotics resistance (MAR) index of Klebsiella species in this study ranged from 0.7 – 0.3. All the isolates were resistant to at least three antibiotics and demonstrated an MAR index ≥ 0.3.
