Drug Resistant Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris Isolated from Rats Captured from Some Poultry Houses in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria and their Public Health Importance

Abstract

Proteus species especially Proteus mirabilis and Proteus vulgaris are zoonotic pathogens often associated with drug resistance 
traits. They are of public health importance with zoonotic status. They have been globally associated with humans and poultry
infections. Multidrug resistant strains of these organisms are routinely isolated from organs samples from carcasses of birds 
submitted for bacteriological diagnostic process in Nigeria with little or no information on their access route to poultry.
The uncontrolled close association of rats with poultry and other materials involved with poultry production in Nigeria, informed 
screening of 22 Proteus mirabilis and 1 Proteus vulgaris isolates from poultry houses rats, identified by standard methods. The 
isolates were further confirmed with Oxoid Microbact GNB 24E® (MB24E) and accompanying computer software package 
(Oxoid Microbact®) 2000 version 2.03 and by 16S ribosomal RNA PCR identification procedure. Their susceptibilities to 10 
commonly used antibiotics using standard methods. Subsequently, the fluoroquinolone resistant isolates were PCR screened for 
point mutation at the gyrA of the quinolone resistant determining region. All the 23 isolates were multi-drug resistant, with 100% 
resistance to 6/10 of the antibiotics examined including: ceftazidime, amikacin, sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, ampicillin 
and streptomycin. One of the 9, high fluoroquinolone resistant isolates MICs ranges 64µg/mL - >128µg/mL displayed 6 point 
mutations. This work identified rats as the possible source of multidrug resistant Proteus species for poultry in Nigeria. It also 
exposes the potential public health risk of the rats transmission of drug resistant factors through the pathogens to humans involved 
with poultry production in the study area.