Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of e. Coli from lionesses at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC)

Abstract

This study investigated antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli isolates from lionesses at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre. A retrospective study design was used where health records and laboratory data of the four lionesses were analyzed to assess the susceptibility patterns of E. coli isolates to various selected antimicrobials. From the retrieved data, samples were collected through oral and anal swabbing. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted using cephalosporins, penicillin’s, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. The study established a variation in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns with intraclass variations observed in some classes of antibacterials. In view of these findings, the study concludes that management of E. coli infections in captive lionesses may become a challenge if antimicrobial susceptibility testing is not adopted. The high levels of non-susceptible E. coli isolates possess a high risk to conservation efforts and the health management of captive wildlife particularly in environments exposed to human influence. Despite its limitations, this study should be widely carried out on other classes of antimicrobials so as to provide comprehensive information on the changing susceptibility patterns of E. coli to allow wider evidence-based decision making in terms of antibiotic selection. A study be conducted to identify the potential source of entry of non-susceptible E. coli; and assessment of non-susceptible E. coli strains. Routine antibiotic susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates be established at UWEC to guide the selection of appropriate antibiotics such as cefuroxime, ampicillin &Sulbactam and Gentamycin to avoid the indiscriminate use of broad-spectrum drugs thereby minimizing the development of non-susceptible E. coli strains