OCCURRENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILES OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED FROM RETAIL FISH IN WESTERN HIMALAYAN REGION OF INDIA

Abstract

In the present study, 57 Escherichia coli isolates were recovered and characterized from 93 retail fish, collected across fish markets (n=93) in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalayan region. The overall prevalence of E. coli among the retail fish samples was 61.29%. State-wise analysis revealed that 59.18% of the samples from Uttarakhand were contaminated with E. coli, whereas a slightly higher contamination rate of 63.63% was observed in retail fish collected from Himachal Pradesh. All 57 E. coli isolates were examined for their antibiotic resistance profiles. In Uttarakhand, 35% of the isolates exhibited resistance to cefotaxime (30 µg). In Himachal Pradesh, 25% of the isolates showed resistance to ampicillin (10 µg) and cefoxitin (30 µg). However, all isolates from this region were sensitive to gentamicin (10 µg), chloramphenicol (30 µg), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (20/10 µg), aztreonam (30 µg), cefpodoxime (10 µg), ceftriaxone (30 µg). The findings highlight the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains in fish marketed for consumption, posing potential health risks to fish handlers and consumers. Consequently, continuous and rigorous surveillance of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in fish markets is strongly recommended.