Tama, S.C.Ngwai, Y.B.Pennap, G.R.I.Nkene, I.H.Abimiku, R.H.2023-12-142023-12-142021-05-051. Hemen JT, Johnson JT, Ambo EE, Ekam VS, Odey MO, Fila WA. Multi-antibiotic resistance of some Gram negative bacterial isolates from poultry litters of selected farms in Benue State. International Journal of Science and Technology. 2012;2(8):543-547. 2. Afolabi OI, Adegbite DA, Ashaolu OF, Akinbode SO. Profitability and resource-use efficiency in poultry egg farming in ogun state, Nigeria. African Journal of Business Management. 2013;7:1536-1540. 3. Gould LH, Walsh KA, Vieira AR, Herman K, Williams IT, Hall A.J, Cole D. Surveillance for foodborne disease outbreaks—United States, 1998–2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Surveillance Summaries. 2013;62(2):1-34. 4. Havelaar AH, Kirk MD, Torgerson PR, Gibb HJ, Hald T, Lake RJ, Praet N, Bellinger DC, De Silva NR, Gargouri N, Speybroeck N. World Health Organization global estimates and regional comparisons of the burden of foodborne disease in 2010. PLoS Medicine. 2015;12(12):e1001923. 5. Chen Z, Jiang X. Microbiological safety of chicken litter or chicken litter-based organic fertilizers: a review. Agriculture. 2014;4(1):1-29. 6. De Sousa CP. Escherichia coli as a specialized bacterial pathogen. Rev Biol Cienc Terra. 2006;2(2), 341-352https://keffi.nsuk.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14448/5935Aims: This study investigates and reports the production of extended spectrum beta-lactamase in Escherichia coli isolates in poultry droppings sourced from selected poultry farms in Karu, Nigeria Study Design: Cross sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, between August 2019 and February 2020. Methodology: Escherichia coli was isolated from the samples using standard cultural and microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and minimum inhibitory concentrations were evaluated as described by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The detection of ESBL production in E. coli isolates was carried out using double disc synergy test. In addition, molecular detection of ESBL genes was carried out using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. Results: All (100%) samples collected had E. coli. Antibiotic resistances in the isolates in decreasing order were as follows: ampicillin (96.7%), streptomycin (94.4%), sulphamethoxazole /trimethoprim (87.8%), amoxicillin/ clavulanic acid (61.1%), gentamicin (52.2%), ciprofloxacin (40.0%), ceftazidime (35.6%), cefotaxime (31.1%), imipenems (22.2%), cefoxitin (13.3%). The commonest antibiotic resistant phenotype was AMP-SXT-S-CTX-CN (8.8%). Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) was observed in 92.2% (83/90) of the isolates with the common MAR indices being 0.5 (26.5%), 0.6 (19.2%), 0.4 (13.2%) and 0.9 (10.8%). Fifty nine of the eighty beta-lactam resistant isolates (73.7%) were confirmed ESBL producers. 55 of the 59 ESBL positive isolates (93.2%) carried bla genes as follows: blaSHV (50/55, 90.9%), blaTEM (31/55, 56.3%) and blaCTX-M (46/55, 83.6%). Thirty six (65.5%) of the 55 isolates carried two bla genes (blaSHV and blaTEM, blaTEM and blaCTX-M, and blaCTX-M and blaSHV). Conclusion: The E. coli isolates showed lower resistances to cefoxitin, imipenem, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and ciprofloxacin and most isolates were MAR, with resistance to 5 antibiotics being the most predominant. In addition, blaSHV gene was the most common ESBL gene detected in the confirmed ESBL-producing E. coli isolatesenE. coli; ESBL; antibiotics; resistance; susceptible; gene; poultry.Article