Antibiotic Use and Resistance Patterns in Escherichia coli Isolates from Rabbit Farms in Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire

Backround: The use of antimicrobials in rabbit farming is essential for treating sick animals, controlling disease outbreaks, preventing illness, and promoting growth. However, their overuse and improper application contribute to the development and spread of resistant bacteria, posing a significant public health threat. This study aimed to assess antibiotic use and resistance patterns in Escherichia coli isolates from rabbit farms in Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire.

Methodology: Questionnaire was sent to 48 farmers, followed by the collection of fresh rabbit droppings from 25 farms. Escherichia coli was detected by inoculating droppings on chromogenic medium, followed by identification on the basis of biochemical characteristics. Resistance was studied using the Müeller-Hinton agar disc-diffusion method using 12 antibiotics.

Results: Less than one-third of farmers (29.2%) used antibiotics, with oxytetracycline being the most commonly used. Antibiotics were primarily administered for digestive, skin, and respiratory diseases. The 56 E. coli isolates were highly resistant to colistin (82.1%), tetracycline (53.6%), amikacin (37.5%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (32.1%). Resistance rate to cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin were very low (< 4%). However, all isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and imipenem. The prevalence of ESBL E. coli was 3.6%. A significant number of E. coli isolate had a MAR index > 0.2.

Conclusion: This study highlights the poor use of antibiotics on rabbit farms in Korhogo, with high levels of resistance to certain antibiotics of critical importance in human medicine. Hence the need to intensify awareness-raising and training of farmers in the rational use of antibiotics, in order to reduce the risk of dissemination of resistant bacteria within the population.