Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Avian Samples in the Region of Algiers (Algeria)

Introduction: Escherichia coli is currently in poultry one of the most important causes of economic losses, it induces diseases and constitute one of the most frequent motives for seizure in the slaughterhouse.  The antibiotics resistance of bacteria constitutes a real threat for the animal health and the human sanitary safety. The emergence of resistant strains would be the result of improper and permanently use of the different families of antibiotics in animals, in particular as growth promoters. 

Purpose: This work aims at the study of the antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli strains isolated from various samples of avian origin in the northern region of the country. The total number of isolated strains increased from 276 in 2004 to 822 in 2008.

Methods: This study includes the data of the seven regional veterinary laboratories of the National Institute of Veterinary Medicine from 2004 to 2008, by using the reference technique recommended by the OIE for the strains isolation, and the CLSI method for the achievement of antibiograms. 

Results: The rates of resistances recorded for the most part of tested antibiotics are alarming. For the ampicillin this rate passed from 63% in 2004 to 83% in 2008. For the neomycin, the cotrimoxazole, the enrofloxacine, the gentamicin, the oxytetracycline, the furanes and the chloramphenicol this rate achieved in 2008, respective values of 45%, 68%, 63%, 8%, 82%, 23% and 26%.

Significance: High rates of resistance were recorded, which represents a potential danger to public health.