Antimicrobial resistance pattern of Escherichia coli isolated from imported frozen shrimp in Saudi Arabia

This study examines the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli in imported frozen shrimp in retail markets in Saudi Arabia. The study found that 30 out of 40 samples tested positive for E. coli, resulting in an overall isolation rate of 75%. The largest number of positive samples were found in samples from China and Vietnam. The susceptibilities were observed against 99.4% for amikacin, augmentin, kanamycin, 95% for cefoxitin, and 92.7% for ceftazidime and nitrofurantoin. High percentages of E. coli isolates exhibited resistance to cephalothin, ampicillin, cephalexin, piperacillin, ceftriaxone, nalidixic acid, trimethoprim sulphamethoxazole, and tetracycline. The MDR rate among E. coli isolates was 94.4%. The study highlights the potential risk to public health and the transfer of resistant bacteria to the food chain and environment.