Occurrence of ESBLs-producing <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> in local ready-to-eat meat products and their susceptibilities to <i>Cassia tora</i> and <i>Ficus thoningii</i> leaf extracts

The emergence and acquisition of antimicrobial resistance by pathogenic strains of bacteria pose a very serious global public health problem. Extended-spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) production by some members of Enterobacteriaceae represent one of the most important mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, particularly due to increased morbidity, mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs associated with infections caused by these organisms. Using standard microbiological methods, this study isolated 206 Enterobacteriaceae isolates from 400 samples of local ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products, including Tsire, Balangu, Kilishi and Danbun, representing 51.5 % isolation rate. Among the Enterobacteriaceae isolates, 33 (16.02 %) were confirmed be ESBLs-producers constituting E. coli isolates, K. pneumonia, Proteus, Salmonella, Cirobacter and Enterobacter spp. Antibacterial susceptibility assay revealed both plants leaf extracts have significant activity against the ESBLs-producing bacteria, with F. thoningii ethanolic extract exhibiting higher activity with MIC ranging from 6.25 mg/ml to 25 mg/ml than that of C. tora (MIC: 12.5 to 100 mg/ml). The results obtained from this study suggest that leaf extract from F. thoningii and C. tora could serve as potential sources of antibacterial agents for treatment of ESBLs-producing bacterial infections.