Abstract:
Wakalim is a traditional Ethiopian spiced fermented beef sausage. In
this study, 168 lactic acid bacteria strains isolated during the fermentation of
wakalim were evaluated for their antimicrobial resistance patterns. All of the
isolates tested were sensitive to Amp, Pen, Ery, Cep, Aml, and Tet. Among the
Lactobacillus isolates, the most frequent resistance was noted for methicillin
(96%), followed by resistance to streptomycin (85%), vancomycin (72%),
kanamycin (47%), and gentamycin (38%). The most frequent resistance
among Pediococcus isolates was observed for vancomycin and streptomycin
(96% each), followed by resistance to kanamycin (84%), gentamicin (55%),
and methicillin (30%). A total of 13 multiple drug resistance (MDR) patterns
were detected. About 42% of the isolates showed MDR to four drugs, 29% to
five drugs, and 2% to six drugs. The most frequent MDR pattern was Van/Str/
Kan/Gen/Met and was seen in 42% of the isolates. This pattern was seen in
Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Weissella isolates, but was the most frequent
pattern in Pediococcus isolates (41%). Our Lactobacillus isolates showed 10
different MDR patterns, with Van/Str/Gen/Met (21%) and Van/Str/Met (19%)
being the most frequent patterns. Our isolates were not reservoirs of transferable resistance genes for tetracycline, erythromycin, ampicillin, penicillin G,
cephalothin, and amoxicillin.
