Antibiotic residue in meat is a serious public health concern due to its harmful effects on consumer health. This study aimed at estimating the residue levels of four commonly used antibiotics in meat samples using three analytical methods (ELISA, TLC and HPLC). A total of 150 samples of raw meat from sales points were analysed for ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and sulphanilamide residues. Overall, ELISA analysis showed that 56, 34, 18, and 25.3% of the samples tested positive for ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, sulphanilamide and tetracycline residues respectively while TLC and HPLC detected 21.4, 29.4, 92.5, and 14.6%, and 8.3, 41.1, 88.8, and 14.6% of the samples as containing the residues, with ciprofloxacin and sulphanilamide having the lowest and highest occurrence, respectively. Furthermore, the concentrations of antibiotic residues were in the ranges of 19.8–92.8, 26.6–489.1, 14.2–1280.8, and 42.6–355.6 μg/kg with ELISA, while HPLC detected concentration ranges of 20.7–82.1, 41.8–320.8, 65.2–952.2 and 32.8–95.6 μg/kg for sulphanilamide, tetracycline, streptomycin, and ciprofloxacin, respectively. Mean ciprofloxacin and streptomycin residue levels were above the Codex/SA MRL recommended limit, while 3% of the samples contained multidrug residues. Although some of the mean residues levels were below the permissible limits, the co-occurrence of multidrug residues in some of the samples calls for concern.

Background: The Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) bacterial isolates that produce extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) contribute to global life-threatening infections. This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the global prevalence of ESBLs in co-existing E. coli and K. pneumoniae isolated from humans, animals and the environment. Methods: The systematic review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) [ID no: CRD42023394360]. This study was carried out following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. One hundred and twenty-six eligible studies published on co-existing antibiotic resistance in E. coli and K. pneumoniae between 1990 and 2022 were included. Results: The pooled prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae was 33.0% and 32.7% for humans, 33.5% and 19.4% for animals, 56.9% and 24.2% for environment, 26.8% and 6.7% for animals/environment, respectively. Furthermore, the three types of resistance genes that encode ESBLs, namely bla_SHVbla_CTX−M,bla_OXA, and bla_TEM, were all detected in humans, animals and the environment. Conclusions: The concept of “One-Health” surveillance is critical to tracking the source of antimicrobial resistance and preventing its spread. The emerging state and national surveillance systems should include bacteria containing ESBLs. A well-planned, -implemented, and -researched alternative treatment for antimicrobial drug resistance needs to be formulated.

Giardiasis, caused byGiardia duodenalis, is a leading cause of diarrhoea in resource-poor countries. To gain a better insight into the epidemiology ofGiardiain Africa, we undertook a robust study to comprehend the distribution and prevalence ofGiardiainfection in humans, animals and their dispersal in the environment. Our protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42022317653). Deep literature search from 5 electronic databases, namely, AJOL, Google scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Springer Link was performed using relevant keywords. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model and heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using Cochran's Q and theI²-statistic. More than 500 eligible studies published from 1 January 1980 until 22 March 2022 were retrieved. In humans, exactly 48 124Giardiaspp. infection cases were registered from the 494 014 stool samples examined resulting in a pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) of 8.8% using microscopy. Whereas copro-antigen tests and molecular diagnostic methods generated PPE of 14.3 and 19.5%, respectively, with HIV+ subjects and those with diarrhoeatic stool having infection rates of 5.0 and 12.3%, respectively. The PPE ofGiardiaspp. infection in animals using molecular methods was 15.6%, which was most prevalent in pigs (25.2%) with Nigeria registering the highest prevalence at 20.1%. The PPE ofGiardiaspp. contamination from waterbodies was 11.9% from a total of 7950 samples which were detected using microscopy, with Tunisia documenting the highest infection rate of 37.3%. This meta-analysis highlights the necessity of ‘One Health’ approach for consolidated epidemiological studies and control of giardiasis in the African continent.

Globally, the spread of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae from food to humans poses a severe threat to public health. The aim of this study was to assess the co-occurrence of colistin and β-lactamase resistance genes in E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa strains isolated from faeces of abattoir broiler chickens. The E. coli, P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae isolates were successfully detected from faecal samples by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at infection rates of 60.7%, 22.5% and 16.7% respectively. The isolates displayed the highest levels of antibiotic resistance (AR) against ampicillin (82.3%) and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (74.2%) for E. coli, followed by cefoxitin (70.6%) for K. pneumoniae, whilst P. aeruginosa displayed 26.1% antibiotic resistance (AR) against both ampicillin and colistin sulphate. The colistin mcr-1 gene was harboured by 46.8%, 47.1% and 21.7%, E. coli, K. pneumonia and P. aeruginosa isolates respectively. Ten out of 62 (16.1%), 6/17 (35.3%), 4/23 (17.4%) isolates were phenotypically classified as ESBL E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa respectively. The ESBL-E. coli isolates respectively possessed bla_CTX-M (60%), bla_TEM (20%) and bla_CTX-M-9 (10%) genes. The ESBL-K. pneumoniae harboured, bla_CTX-M (50%), bla_OXA (33%), bla_CARB (17%), and bla_CTX-M-9 (17%) genes respectively, whilst, P. aeruginosa isolates respectively carried bla_TEM (75%), bla_CTX-M (50%), bla_OXA (25%) and bla_CARB (25%) genes. Molecular analysis identified the bla_CTX-Mβ-lactamase-encoding genes collectively from E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae isolates. Colistin and β-lactamase genes were present in only 16.7%, 6.9%, and 2.9% of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa isolates, respectively. A total of 17, 7 and 3 isolates for E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa respectively carried both colistin and β-lactamase antibiotics resistant genes. This is a public health threat that points to a challenge in the treatment of infections caused by these zoonotic bacteria. Data generated from this study will contribute to formulation of new strategies for combating spread of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa isolates as well as prevention of their AR development.

Water is essential for the survival of humans, animals and plants. Numerous research has been conducted on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water from various African countries, however, there is lack of comprehensive analysis of published literature. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines where articles published in English language between January 2000 and March 2022 were searched from ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, African Journal Online (AJO), and Africa Index Medicus (AIM). Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Ver 3.0 software was used to analyze the data. The pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) with 95% confidence interval was calculated using the random-effects model (CI). The overall PPE and antimicrobial resistance trends of E. coli isolated from water was screened from 4009 isolates which were isolated from 2586 samples. We extracted data from 17 studies including drinking water (n = 6), rivers (n = 5), wastewaters (n = 4) and wastewater/river (n = 1) which are all covering 27 countries in Africa with 3438 isolates. The PPE of E. coli in water was 71.7% (0.717; 95% CI: 0.562–0.833). The highest PPE antibiotic resistance was against penicillin followed by erythromycin, and ampicilin with resistance rates of 93.4%, 92.3%, and 69.4%, respectively. This systematic review provides critical evidence of E. coli consolidated prevalence and antibiotic resistance profiles, as well as regions where future studies and enhanced reporting could be beneficial in the African continent.

One of the main global concerns is the usage and spread of antibiotic resistant Salmonella serovars. The animals, humans, and environmental components interact and contribute to the rapid emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, directly or indirectly. Therefore, this study aimed to determine antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles of Salmonella serotypes isolated from the environment, animals, and humans in South Africa by a systematic review and meta-analysis. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to search four databases for studies published from 1980 to 2021, that reported the antibiotic resistance profiles of Salmonella serotypes isolated in South Africa. The AR was screened from 2930 Salmonella serotypes which were isolated from 6842 samples. The Western Cape province had high pooled prevalence estimates (PPE) of Salmonella isolates with AR profiles followed by North West, Gauteng, and Eastern Cape with 94.3%, 75.4%, 59.4%, and 46.2%, respectively. The high PPE and heterogeneity were observed from environmental samples [69.6 (95% CI: 41.7−88.3), Q = 303.643, I² = 98.353, Q-P = 0.045], animals [41.9 (95% CI: 18.5–69.5), Q = 637.355, I² = 98.745, Q-P = 0.577], as well as animals/environment [95.9 (95% CI: 5.4−100), Q = 55.253, I² = 96.380, Q-P = 0.300]. The majority of the salmonella isolates were resistant to sulphonamides (92.0%), enrofloxacin and erythromycin (89.3%), oxytetracycline (77.4%), imipenem (72.6%), tetracycline (67.4%), as well as trimethoprim (52.2%), among the environment, animals, and humans. The level of multidrug-resistance recorded for Salmonella isolates was 28.5% in this review. This study has highlighted the occurrence of AR by Salmonella isolates from animals, humans, and environmental samples in South Africa and this calls for a consolidated “One Health” approach for antimicrobial resistance epidemiological research, as well as the formulation of necessary intervention measures to prevent further spread.