AUTHOR=Ayinla Akeemat O. , Mateus Ana L. P. 

TITLE=Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in poultry in Africa: a systematic review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Antibiotics

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/antibiotics/articles/10.3389/frabi.2023.1140750

DOI=10.3389/frabi.2023.1140750

ISSN=2813-2467

ABSTRACT=<p>Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria present a unique problem because of their ability to cause infections that are difficult to treat in animals and humans. The presence of ESBL-<italic>Escherichia coli</italic> (<italic>E. coli</italic>) in poultry raises a major public health concern due to the risk of zoonotic transfer <italic>via</italic> the food chain and direct contact with birds and the environment. This review aimed to determine the frequency of ESBL-producing <italic>E. coli</italic> and associated ESBL genes in poultry in Africa. Three databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science) and predetermined websites were searched to identify scientific and grey literature. Studies (1582) were screened at title, abstract, and full-text levels. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021259872). Thirty-three studies were deemed eligible for this review. Phenotypic ESBL expression was confirmed in 22 studies (66.7%) with a wide range of colonization noted in sampled poultry (1 – 100%). The <italic>bla</italic><bold><sub>CTX-M</sub></bold>gene was the most commonly isolated with the variants <italic>bla</italic><bold><sub>CTX-M-1</sub></bold>and <italic>bla</italic><bold><sub>CTX-M-15</sub></bold>being the most predominant in North and West Africa respectively. ESBL-producing <italic>E. coli</italic> isolates are frequently detected in poultry in farms and slaughterhouses across Africa thereby posing a potential health risk to humans. The paucity of data however does not allow for inferences to be made about the true extent of ESBLs in poultry in Africa.</p>