Antibiotic usage and Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in layer birds: a study in the Ashanti Region, Ghana

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an emerging and growing threat in agriculture, especially in chicken production, due to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. This research examined the use of antibiotics by chicken producers in Ghana´s Ashanti Region and the frequency of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in layer birds that produce Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 69 poultry farmers who presented their dead birds for post-mortem examination at the Ashanti Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Amakom-Kumasi. Caecal samples from layer birds were analyzed for ESBL-producing E. coli using microbiological techniques, and data on antibiotic usage and knowledge were collected through questionnaires. Chi-Square analysis was performed to assess the association between the prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli and antibiotic usage. RESULTS: ESBL-producing E. coli was found in 18% of layer bird samples, demonstrating that chickens had antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More of the farmers used multiple antibiotics with tetracyclines being the most often used antibiotic among poultry farmers. Unfortunately, antibiotic usage and antibiotic resistance were little understood by the farmers. There was a significant association (p