EFFECT OF BEEF CHAIN ON THE PREVALENCE OF ENTEROHAEMORRHAGIC ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 AND ITS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Authors: *Akinnibosun F.I, Imade O.S

DOI Info: N/A

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to analyze the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef, and it implication on public health of consumers in Edo State, Nigeria. Prevalence was determined by direct plating on sorbitol MacConkey agar supplemented with cefexime (50 ?g/l) and potassium tellurite (25 mg/l), after an initial pre-enrichment of samples on tryptic soy broth (TSB). Results of this study showed that overall prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in the faeces and split carcasses at the abattoir were 53.00 % and 75.00 % respectively. Findings of this study indicated that the retail environment did not significantly contribute to change in the microbial load of E. coli O157:H7 when microbial load at the abattoir and at the retail market were compared. Logarithmic reductions of 1.5 - 0.5 log10 cfu/100 g rare done (undercooked) beef and ? 5 log10 cfu/100 g well cooked beef were recorded when their microbial load were compared with those at the retail market. There is therefore, an urgent need for the relevant regulatory agencies to intensify the monitoring of abattoirs, which is the major source of E. coli O157:H7 contamination, so as to ensure compliance to standard best practices in the entire beef chain.

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