BACTERIA CONTAMINANTS OF INSECT VECTORS AND ABATTOIR ENVIRONMENT ON BEEF IN AKURE METROPOLIS.

Abstract

Bacterial contamination in three abattoirs- Onyearugbulem, FUTA junction and Aule abattoirs all in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State was studied. Bacteria contamination of the butchering tables, butcher’s boot, waste water, soil, air and meat were obtained from the three abattoirs over a period of one month. Insect vectors of bacterial contamination in the abattoirs were also obtained and studied. The aliquots of homogenates from both their internal and external contents of insect vectors of bacterial contaminants were inoculated on various agar plates for pathogen isolations and identification. All the abattoirs were found to contain suspected pathogenic bacteria as well as spoilage organisms. The microbial loads from samples obtained from Aule abattoir were generally higher than that obtained from FUTA junction and Onyearugbulem abattoir. However, pathogenic bacteria isolated from the three abattoirs environment were species of Staphylococcus, Klebseilla, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Salmonella, Micrococcus, Shigella and Escherichia coli while that of meat and flies’ samples were Staphylococcus, Klebseilla, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Shigella. All the genera of bacterial pathogens isolated from flies are known to be pathogenic to man, indicating that flies, especially M. domestica, were potential mechanical vectors of bacterial pathogens. These findings pose health concerns to meat consumers and call for improvement of hygiene of the abattoirs so as to improve the health of our people. This study reflects the need for the Ondo State government’s intervention in the rehabilitation of these abattoirs and ensuring that butchers follow already designed international guidelines of slaughtering animals, which would have a significant positive effect on the microbial load of meat and meat products obtained from these abattoirs.