Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Bacterial Pathogens Isolated from African Catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>) sold in Calabar Markets, Nigeria
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Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens poses a growing threat, particularly in developing countries with expanding aquaculture. This study examined antibiotic resistance in bacteria isolated from African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) sold in two major wet markets (Watt and Marian) in Calabar, Nigeria. Eighteen samples (fresh and dried) were analysed, with bacteria isolated from the gills, skin, and intestines, and then tested against 12 antibiotics using the disk-diffusion method. Contamination was heavily influenced by market location and preservation state: Watt Market and all fresh samples exhibited a 100% contamination rate, compared to 55.6% for Marian Market and dried samples. Organ-wise analysis showed that the intestine harboured the highest pathogen load (38.9%), followed by the skin (33.3%) and gills (22.2%). Staphylococcus aureus (35.3%), Aeromonas spp. (29.4%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23.5%) were the most common isolates. P. aeruginosa showed complete resistance to ampicillin and augmentin, yielding the highest Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) indices (up to 0.67). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of zones of inhibition successfully reduced the dimensionality of the dataset, revealing clear species-specific resistance clusters driven by distinct β-lactam and quinolonesusceptibility profiles. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates highlights the acute public health risk of food chain transmission. Immediate improvements in wet market hygiene protocols and strict regional antibiotic use are strongly recommended.
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