title: Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of listeria species from ready-to-eat foods of animal origin in Gondar Town, Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Listeriosis, mostly caused by Listeria monocytogenes species, has become a major concern to public health authorities due to its clinical severity and high mortality rate, particularly in high risk groups. Currently, there is limited information regarding the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of listeria species in ready-to-eat foods of animal origin in Gondar town, Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Listeria species isolated from ready-to-eat food of animal origin from public dinning places in Gondar town, Ethiopia. A cross sectional study on ready-toeat foods of animal origin sampled from major supermarkets, butcher shops, pastry shops, restaurants and hotels was carried out. Culture, biochemical and sugar tests were conducted for listeria species identification and disc diffusion test was performed to study the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 384 food samples examined, 96 (25%) were positive for Listeria species. Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 24 (6.25%) of the samples. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from cake, raw meat, ice cream, minced beef, fish, unpasteurized milk and pizza in that order from higher to lower rate. Assessment of antimicrobial susceptibility profile of L. monocytogenes revealed the presence of four multi-drug resistant isolates. The higher resistance rate was recorded for penicillin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline and chloramphenicol, in decreasing order. All L. monocytogenes identified in the current study were sensitive to amoxicillin, cephalothin, cloxacillin, sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin and vancomycin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of L. monocytogenes including drug resistant and multidrug resistant isolates in some ready-to-eat food items is an indicator of the presence of public health hazards to the consumer, particularly to the high-risk groups. Hence awareness creation on food safety and implementation of regulations about the use of drugs in humans and animals is strongly recommended.
authors.affiliation: St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Department of Microbiology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. legesse_lg@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Legesse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garedew
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Department III-Developmental Genetics, Bad Nauheim, Germany. ayutadei@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ayele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taddese
authors.affiliation: University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gondar, Ethiopia. tigistadam@ymail.com.
authors.forename: Tigist
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biru
authors.affiliation: University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gondar, Ethiopia. seleshe2@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Seleshe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nigatu
authors.affiliation: University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gondar, Ethiopia. elafeedom@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kebede
authors.affiliation: University of Gondar, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gondar, Ethiopia. drmebrat@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mebrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ejo
authors.affiliation: Hawassa University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Awassa, Ethiopia. abrahamfikru@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fikru
authors.affiliation: University of Montreal, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Montreal, Canada. tamevet@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tamiru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Birhanu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000382:microbiology*; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents