PHENOTYPIC AND PLASMID CHARACTERIZATION OF VIBRIO CHOLERAE ISOLATED FROM VENDED JOLLOF RICE SOLD IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

Globally, the effects of food safety on consumers and those in food service sectors require serious attention for public health interest. This will help reduce the spread of several diseases and outbreak of cholera. The study aimed at assessing the phenotypic and plasmid characterization of Vibrio cholerae isolated from vended jollof rice samples sold in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of twenty jollof rice samples, four each were purchased from vended sites across five local government areas in Edo State,
Nigeria between February to August 2015. The samples were analyzed using standard microbiological techniques for the presence of V. cholerae contamination. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and plasmid profiling were carried out using Kirby bauer disc diffusion technique. The total viable count ranged from 1.4 ± 0.18 × 106 to 6.4 ± 0.23 ×106 CFU/g for samples obtained from Ovia North East and Oredo respectively. Percentage of pre-antibiogram showed multi-drug resistance by V. cholerae isolates
except imipenem (50%). However, after curing was done, plasmid analysis of all twenty isolates using agarose gel electrophoresis showed that virtually all the isolates harbored plasmid which was responsible for their resistance. The findings therefore revealed that poor hygiene is a potential vehicle for transmitting food borne illnesses thus there is need to develop practical strategies geared towards ensuring food safety by the food vendors.