Antibiotic Resistance of Enterobacteria Isolated from Medicinal Plant Powders Marketed in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Objective: Medicinal plant powders are widely used in Côte d’Ivoire for treating various ailments and are often marketed without rigorous health controls. This lack of regulation increases the risk of contamination by pathogenic bacteria, particularly antibiotic-resistant enterobacteria, which poses a significant challenge for infection control. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility of enterobacteria isolated from 100 samples of medicinal powders sold in different markets in Abidjan. Bacterial identification was performed using biochemical and proteomic methods (MALDI-TOF). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted using the agar diffusion method, following the EUCAST/CASFM 2024_V1.0 guidelines Results: A total of 48 enterobacterial strains were isolated, including Enterobacter hormaechei (21), Escherichia coli (18), Citrobacter freundii (2), Enterobacter asburiae (2), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Enterobacter cloacae (1), Enterobacter bugandensis (1), and Cronobacter sakazakii (1). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that 54.16% of the strains were resistant to at least one antibiotic, with the highest resistance rates observed for pefloxacin (25%) and ertapenem (12.5%). Resistance to ertapenem, a carbapenem frequently used as a last-resort treatment, is particularly concerning. Conclusions: The presence of enterobacteria in these samples suggests fecal contamination, reflecting poor hygienic conditions. These findings highlight the potential risk posed by medicinal plant powders as vectors of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Implementing strict quality control measures and enhanced surveillance of antibiotic resistance is crucial to reducing their impact on public health.