High frequency of phenotypic resistance against ampicillin inShiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains isolated from sheepcarcasses in Kerman

Background and Aim : Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are one of the mostimportant food-borne pathogens associated with fecal contaminations in the foods produced byanimals. The present study was carried out in order to study of phenotypic resistance to ampicillinin STEC strains isolated from sheep carcasses in Kerman.Methods : In this study ۳۰ STEC isolates were confirmed by conventional PCR methods. Diskdiffusion technique was used to analyze STEC isolates for resistance against ampicillin.Results : Among the ۳۰ STECs, ۲۲ isolates (۷۳.۳ %) were resistant to the ampicillin. Also, ۲isolates (۶.۶ %) was evaluated as sensitive to ampicillin and the remaining isolates (۲۰.۱%) wereidentified as intermediate.Conclusion : The results of this study showed that raw sheep meat could be considered as apotential reservoir of ampicillin resistant STECs, which may threaten public health.

کلیدواژه ها:

Shiga toxin-producing ، Escherichia coli ، Sheep ، Antibiotic resistance ، ampicillin.