Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli from Chicken Meat in a Selected Public Market at Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

Chicken meat can be contaminated with various pathogens, with studies showing prevalence rates of bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli), which pose a risk of foodborne illness. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of E. coli isolated from chicken meat in a selected public market in Malvar, Batangas, Philippines where the climate encourages the environmental spread of microorganisms, and outbreaks of bacterial infections continue to pose a significant economic threat. A total of thirty (30) chicken meat samples - comprising legs, wings, thighs, breasts, ribs, and feet - were aseptically collected from three (3) chicken stalls (10 samples per stall) in a selected public market in Malvar, Batangas, Philippines and analyzed for the presence of E. coli. Identification of bacterial isolates was conducted through morphological characteristics, Gram staining, and biochemical tests. The antibiotic sensitivity of the confirmed E. coli isolates to amikacin (30 µg), cefotaxime (30 µg), ceftazidime (30 µg), ciprofloxacin (5 µg), gentamicin (10 µg), meropenem (10 µg), nalidixic acid (30 µg), streptomycin (10 µg), tetracycline (30 µg), and trimethoprim (5 µg) was determined using the standard antimicrobial disk diffusion test. Results revealed that out of thirty (30) meat samples, five (5) were contaminated with E. coli, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 16.66%. Antibiotic sensitivity testing showed multi-drug resistance among all E. coli isolates: 100% were resistant to ceftazidime, cefotaxime, meropenem, and nalidixic acid; 80% were resistant to streptomycin and trimethoprim; 60% were resistant to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline; 40% were resistant to gentamicin; and 20% were resistant to amikacin. Additionally, 80% of E. coli isolates were sensitive to amikacin, and 60% were sensitive to gentamicin. Low sensitivity rates (20–40%) were observed for ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and streptomycin. In conclusion, there is a low prevalence of E. coli contamination in chicken meat samples from Malvar, Batangas, Philippines. However, the E. coli isolates demonstrate high resistance to ceftazidime, cefotaxime, meropenem, and nalidixic acid, indicating a potential public health concern.