Antimicrobial Usage and Presence of Extended‐Spectrum β ‐Lactamase–Producing Enterobacterales in Healthy Chickens From Farms in Grand‐Abidjan and Korhogo, Côte d′Ivoire
Christiane You Essoh, Gilles Alex Pakora, Daouda Toure, Inès Cinthia A. Yebouet, Bérenger Aristide A. Ako, Jemima Arlette Ayebie, Naomie Dali, Sinon-Pierre Assanvo N′guetta, Adèle Kakou-N′doubaBackground
The global spread of extended‐spectrum β ‐lactamase (ESBL)–producing Enterobacterales in livestock poses critical threats to human and animal health, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries. This study investigated the prevalence, antibiotic resistance profiles, and genetic determinants of ESBL‐producing Enterobacterales in healthy chickens from poultry farms in Grand‐Abidjan and Korhogo, Côte d′Ivoire, alongside antibiotic use practices in the sector.
Methods
A semistructured questionnaire assessed veterinary practices across 26 farms, whereas chicken fecal samples from 27 farms were screened for third‐generation cephalosporin‐resistant Enterobacterales. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of ESBL producers was performed, along with antimicrobial susceptibility testing against 12 antibiotics.
Results
All farmers reported antibiotic use, primarily tetracyclines (76.9%), macrolides (69.2%), polymyxins (61.5%), aminoglycosides (57.7%), and sulfonamides (53.8%), mainly for disease prophylaxis (65.38%) and often without veterinary supervision. ESBL‐producing Enterobacterales were detected in 96.3% (26/27) of fecal samples, yielding 90 isolates identified as clinically relevant species: Klebsiella pneumoniae (42.2%, 38/90), Escherichia coli (38.9%, 35/90), and Enterobacter spp. (18.9%, 17/90). Overall, 74.8% (63/90) of isolates were resistant to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole and 57.8% to amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, whereas no resistance to carbapenems was observed. Molecular characterization revealed the presence of bla CTX-M , bla SHV , and bla TEM genes, with bla CTX-M being the most prevalent (77.8%, 70/90), followed by bla SHV (54.4%, 49/90) and bla TEM (31.1%, 28/90). These genes were coexpressed in half of all isolates, predominantly in K. pneumoniae and Enterobacter spp.
Conclusion
This study highlights the widespread dissemination of ESBL‐producing Enterobacterales in poultry farms in Côte d′Ivoire, emphasizing the role of poultry as a reservoir for resistant bacteria and underscoring the urgent need for integrated surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship within a One Health framework.