THE RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS IN STRAINS OF E. COLI AND ENTEROCOCCUS SP. ISOLATED FROM RECTAL SWABS OF LAMBS AND CALVES

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of enterococcii and E. coli strains isolated from dairy calves and lambs. Susceptibilities of isolated enterococci were tested using the disk diffusion method. The interpretation of inhibition zones around the disks was according to CLSI 2004 Performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. In our study, all isolates (E. coli and enterococci) were multiresistant (100%) to tetracycline, streptomycin and compound sulphonamides. Lower levels of resistance to enrofloxacin were noted. Antimicrobial resistance profiles of Enterococcus sp. isolated from lambs indicated that the highest percentage of susceptibility was exhibited to tetracycline (100%) and streptomycin (100%) and compound sulphonamides (100%). The intermediate resistance was exhibited against compound enrofloxacin (80%). The high frequencies of resistant isolates of Enterococcus sp. from calves were documented in tetracycline (100%), streptomycin (100%) and compound sulphonamides (100%) and enrofloxacin (50%). The high percentage (compound sulphonamides-100%, tetracycline-100% and streptomycin100%) of multiresistant E. coli (isolates from dairy calves) was noticed. There were no significant correlations between groups.

Keywords

• antibiotic resistance
• e. coli
• enterococcus sp
• lambs
• calves