Prevalence and risk factors for faecal carriage of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli among slaughterhouse workers

The increasing occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in human and animal population has become a global public health problem that requires immediate intervention. We aimed to investigate prevalence and risk factors for faecal carriage of drug-resistant E. coli among slaughterhouse workers.

We conducted this cross-sectional study among 118 apparently healthy workers in the largest slaughterhouses in Abuja and Lagos from July to December 2020. E. coli was isolated from stool samples of slaughterhouse workers and antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) was defined as resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics. Majority were males: 88.1% (n = 104), aged > 41 years: 28.8% (n = 34), married: 70.3% (n = 83), and were butchers: 53.4% (n = 63). Prevalence of MDR E. coli was 50% (n = 59), highest among butchers compared to slaughterhouse cleaners.

Of 75 E. coli isolates identified, 25.3% (n = 19) were ESBL producers; 78.7% (n = 59) were MDR. Keeping animals (p = 0.01); eating at the slaughterhouse (p = 0.03) and collecting waste (p = 0.02) remained independent risk factors for acquiring MDR E. coli. Prevalence of resistant E. coli was highest among butchers and associated with keeping animals at home, eating at work, and waste-collection.

Hand-hygiene and responsible use of antibiotics among slaughterhouse workers should be encouraged.