Prevalence of Antibiotic-Resistant <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> Isolated from Grilled Meats and Human Feces in Two Regions of Chad

The uncontrolled use of antibiotics to improve the productivity of food-producing animals and to treat human diseases poses a significant risk to public health. Residual antibiotics in animal tissues can promote the selection of resistant bacteria, posing serious health risks to consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the diversity and antibiotic resistance profiles of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from grilled meat and consumer stool samples. A cross-sectional study was carried out in two towns in Chad-Abeche and Mongo-between February and July 2024. Bacteria were identified from grilled meat and stool samples using standard bacteriological methods. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolated strains. A total of 196 samples were collected, including 151 stool samples and 45 grilled meat samples. The culture results identified 37 (24.50%) positive stool samples and 11 (24.44%) positive grilled meat samples. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated species (43.53%), followed by Pantoea spp (18.82%) and Serratia ficaria (8.24%). High resistance rates have also been observed against ciprofloxacin (78.33%), ceftriaxone (70%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (65%), cefotaxime (51.67%), and cefoletin (50%). Imipenem showed excellent activity (sensitivity of 95%), while gentamicin had moderate effectiveness (31.66%). ESBL-producing isolates were found in both sources (7.06%). The results suggest that the consumption of grilled meat could contribute to the spread of enterobacteria in the population.