QUINOLONE RESISTANT ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED FROM CHICKEN MEAT IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Fluoroquinolones are broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents that are highly effective for the treatment of a variety of infections in humans and animals. Resistance to fluoroquinolones develops more rapidly in E. coli than in other members of the Enterobacteriaceae . Retail poultry products are routinely heavily contaminated with avian fecal E. coli. Such E. coli, which can be antibiotic resistant (including to FQs), widely contaminates kitchen surfaces during meal preparation, is not readily removed from these surfaces by standard cleaning procedures, and can subsequently be isolated from the feces of persons preparing the meals . The study included 55 chicken meat samples collected randomly from retail supermarkets, butcheries and slaughterhouses. Susceptibility tests were performed using the Kirby-Bauer method on Mueller-Hinton agar inaccordance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, 2017 and using Ampicillin (10 ?g), Amoxicililn (25?g), Ciprofloxacin (5?g) and Nalidixic acid discs (30?g). The zones of inhibition was measured, recorded, and interpreted according to the recommendation of the CLSI. Resistance to fluoroquinolone agents Ciprofloxacin was demonstrated in 95% of the E. coli isolates. Resistance to antibiotics from the group of aminopenicillins, beta-lactam antibiotics that act on the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall was also established in most of the tested samples. Out of 40 E. coli isolates, 36 (90%) were restistant to amoxicillin and ampicillin. Amoxicillin resistant isolates were found in 36 of 40 chicken meat samples.