Screening the Milieu of an abattoir for Bacteria of Public health importance in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

The study investigated the bacteriological content in a major abattoir located approximately 300 meters from a densely populated and cultivated area along the Benue River. Enumeration of bacterial cells from samples in the study yielded relatively high mean count of 9.4 x 105 and 7.3 x 105 from effluent and soil samples respectively. Bacteria isolated from both samples included; Escherichia coli, Streptococcus sp, Salmonella sp, Pseudomonas sp, Shigellasp, Enterobacter sp, Staphylococcus sp, Bacillus sp, Brucella sp, Proteus sp, Micrococcus sp etc. Escherichia coli recorded an occurrence of 18.53% in effluents and 16.16% in soil while Proteus species and Brucella sp had an occurrence of 9.59% and 1.39% respectively in soil samples. Antibiotic sensitivity screening using seveenteen (17) antibiotics disc (Optun Nig.) viz: Tarivid (10 µg), peflacine (10 µg), Agumentin (30 µg), Gentamycin (10 µg), Streptomycin (30 µg), Ceporex (10 µg), Nalidixic acid (30 µg), Ciprofloxacin (10 µg), Norfloxacin (10 µg), Rifampicin (µg), Erythromycin (µg), Chloramphenicol (µg), Ampiclox (30 µg), Levofloxacin (10µg). A marked level of resistance was observed among the isolates. However, Escherichia coli indicated sensitivity to peflacine, Shigellasp indicated sensitivity to augmentin, Enterococcus and Bacillus species indicated sensitivity to ciprofloxacin and streptomycin respectively.