Antibiogram and Detection of Resistant Genes in <i>Escherichia coli</i> Isolated From Meat and Meat Products of Kathmandu, Nepal

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health emergency attributed to the inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents in human health, animal health, and environmental sectors. With low awareness regarding the consequences of antimicrobial use in livestock farming, improper slaughter practices, and unhygienic meat sales, AMR is circulating through the food chain. The study is aimed at unraveling the scenario of AMR and detecting resistant genes in <i>Escherichia coli</i> in meat and meat products in the market of Kathmandu. A total of 120 meat samples, <i>n</i> = 30 chicken meat, <i>n</i> = 30 buffalo meat, and <i>n</i> = 60 frozen meat products were sourced by random sampling between January and June 2024. Then, 54 isolates recovered from the meat samples were identified as containing <i>E. coli</i> based on conventional PCR analysis targeting the 16S rRNA gene of <i>E. coli</i>. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests revealed 57.4% of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline, followed by ampicillin (44.4%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin (38.8%). Then, 44.4% of the isolates out of 54 were found to be multidrug-resistant. ESBL testing showed that seven <i>E. coli</i> isolates were ESBL producers, and upon colistin agar MIC test, two isolates were resistant to colistin. Conventional PCR analysis for the detection of ESBL-encoding genes confirmed that L4B and L17B contained both <i>bla_CTX</i> and <i>bla_TEM-52</i> ESBL-encoding genes. Isolates L11B, L15B, and L8C harbored <i>bla_CTX</i> , while L12B and FZ100 harbored <i>bla_TEM-52</i> ESBL-encoding genes. <i>E. coli</i> isolates L9C and FZ102 both harbored <i>mcr-1</i> colistin-resistant genes, while <i>mcr-2</i> was not observed. Carbapenem-resistant isolates were not recovered in the study. Isolation of multidrug-resistant <i>E. coli</i>, as well as the presence of ESBL and colistin-resistant genes, probably signifies misuse of antimicrobial agents in veterinary practices as well as cross-contamination due to poor hygiene practices. These actions pose a threat to the health of consumers and assist in the spread of AMR genes across microbial populations. Thus, regulatory bodies need to regulate the antimicrobial usage for veterinary applications and promote good hygiene practices in food processing industries, along with the dissemination of awareness to stakeholders regarding AMR.