Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae from Fish Samples in Allahabad, India

Aims: The present study was conducted aiming at the isolation of the pathogenic bacteria from the family enterobacteriaceae in raw, edible and apparently healthy fishes, from different fish markets of Allahabad. Study Design: Forty fish specimens were collected from eight different locations of Allahabad region. Isolation was done using selective plating. Differentiation and characterization of different isolates was based on their growth characteristics on specific culture media, their biochemical confirmatory tests and Gram-staining reactions. Place and Duration of Study: Fish samples were collected from eight different locations of Allahabad during January to May 2016 . Methodology: Isolation of enterobacteriaceae was done according to ISO Standard; ISO 21528-1:2004 and were confirmed by different set of biochemical tests and carbohydrate fermentation tests. Total soluble proteins of the organisms were estimated by Biuret method. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was tested against amphicillin, streptomycin and ciprofloxacin at different concentrations. Results: Strains of Klebsiella planticola , Citrobacter youngae , Citrobacter freundii , E. coli , Klebsiella ornithinolytica and Klebsiella pneumonia were identified out of the 56 isolates obtained. All the isolated strains organisms were susceptible to antibiotics such as amphicillin, streptomycin and ciprofloxacin at different concentrations of 10, 50, 80 and 100 m g/ml. The virulent proteins were highest in K. ornitholytica (103 mg) followed by Citrobacter sp (102.8 mg/ml) . Conclusion: Fishes sold in the fish markets of Allahabad showed presence of pathogenic bacteria especially from the family enterobacteriaceae; indicate poor hygienic conditions as well as improper storage environment. The results concluded that E. coli. (48.20%) represented the major part of bacterial flora, on the fish followed by Klebsiella spp. (30.2%).