Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles and Molecular Characterisation of from Pigs and Workers at Farms and Abattoirs in Zambia.

Pigs have been shown to be a reservoir for recently emerging livestock-associated (LA-SA), including methicillin resistant strains in many countries worldwide. However, there is sparse information about LA-SA strains circulating in Zambia. This study investigated the prevalence, phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of from pigs and workers at farms and abattoirs handling pigs in Lusaka Province of Zambia. A total of 492 nasal pig swabs, 53 hand and 53 nasal human swabs were collected from farms and abattoirs in selected districts. Standard microbiological methods were used to isolate and determine antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of . Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to confirm the species identity and detect antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of isolates, whereas genetic diversity was evaluated using typing. Overall prevalence of was 33.1%, 37.8% for pigs and 11.8% for humans. The isolates were resistant to several antibiotics with resistance ranging from 18% to 98% but were all susceptible to vancomycin. Typical LA-SA types were detected. The presence of plasmid mediated resistance genes such as M (12.8%), other resistance determinants and immune evasion cluster genes among the isolates is of great public health concern. Thus, continuous surveillance of using a "One health" approach is warranted to monitor infections and spread of antimicrobial resistance.