Multidrug Resistant <i>Rhodococcus equi</i> in Donkeys (<i>Equus africanus asinus</i>) in Ganawari North Central Nigeria

Rhodococcus equi is an important cause of respiratory infections in equidae. The organism causes pneumonia in foal and could be isolated from diverse sources, including the nasal cavity which plays a critical role in the ecology of Rhodococcus equi. The demographic characteristics of the donkeys studied showed that 90% of the donkeys slaughtered during the period of sample collection were adult, while 50 and 50% were both male and female donkeys respectively. Isolates were identified as Rhodococcus equi based on phenotypic and biochemical characteristics observed. The susceptibility of Rhodococcus equi to antibiotics was determined by disk diffusion method using different disc concentrations of antibiotics as follows; erythromycin (15µg), streptomycin (25µg), kanamycin (30µg), cephalotin (30μg), methicillin (30μg), nalidixic acid (30µg), penicillin (25 units), ceftiofur (30µg). The antibiotic susceptibility test results obtained showed that the isolates were 100% resistant to cephalotin and penicillin, while 90%, 50% and 16.6% of the isolates were resistant to methicillin, erythromycin, streptomycin and nalidixic acid respectively. Only 16.6% of the isolates showed intermediate resistance to nalidixic acid. Interestingly, 100% of the isolates were sensitive to kanamycin and ceftiofur while 90%, 66.6%, and 50% were sensitive to streptomycin, nalidixic acid, and erythromycin. There is palpable public health risk that may arise from consumption of donkey meat contaminated with multidrug resistant Rhodococcus equi. Therefore, adequate food safety procedures should be enforced to protect human infection.