Incidence of multiple antibiotic-resistant Vibrio species in Clarias gariepinus and the fish seller’s towels

The ingestion of Vibrio -contaminated Clarias gariepinus (catfish), transmission, and cross-contamination of other food products via the fish seller’s towel affects the health and productivity of humans. This study examined the incidence of Vibrio species and MAR phenotypes of isolates obtained from catfish and catfish seller’s towels. Twenty-four catfish purchased from Okitipupa market and 12 swab samples of fish seller’s towel were utilized. Samples were enriched in alkaline peptone water and plated on thiosulfate-citrate-bile-salt-sucrose agar using spread plate method. Three to five colonies of presumptive Vibrio species were picked, confirmed using a PCR-based method and sequencing. The confirmed isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility test with 15 antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic-resistant phenotypes of the Vibrio species obtained from both samples were evaluated. The percentage confirmation of Vibrio species from the two samples was 77 %. Blastn revealed 27 % V. cholera , 20 % V. fortis , 13.3 % V. parahaemolyticus , 6.7 % V. panuliri, V. proteolyticus, V. aphrogenes, V. vulnificus, V. stylophorae and V. algivorus in fish samples. In comparison, the towel harbors 27 % V parahaemolyticus , 20 % Vibrio cholerae and V. stylophorae , 13.3 % V. fortis , 6.7 % V. fluvialis, V. algivorus and V. panuliri . The confirmed isolates exhibited resistance phenotypes that ranged between 3 – 9 classes of antibiotics. The multiple antibiotics-resistant indices of the Vibrio species were above 0.2 accepted threshold. This study concludes that the catfish seller’s towel could serve as a transmission vehicle for multiple antibiotic-resistant Vibrio species in the catfish environment, hence, a potential public health threat pointing at the importance of one health.