Antimicrobial resistance patterns of foodborne bacterial isolates from HIV/AIDS patients in Lusaka, Zambia.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global public health concern and a food safety issue. When pathogens become resistant to antimicrobial agents they can pose a greater human health risk as a result of potential treatment failure, loss of treatment options and increased likelihood of severity
of disease. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the antimicrobial drug resistance profile of foodborne bacterial isolates among HIV/AIDS patients. The study was a cross sectional study which was conducted from July to September, 2024 at a microbiology laboratory in the University teaching hospital (UTH). Stool samples were taken from respondents attending UTH hospital with one of the complaints of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and fever. Age, sex, residence, and sample origin for each participant were taken and recorded for analysis. Additionally, microbiological identification of bacteria through culturing and antimicrobial susceptibility (AST) pattern test using Kirby-bauer disc diffusion techniques were conducted from the stool samples of the respective participants. The participants came from 32 different areas of Lusaka, Zambia and mainly from Bauleni (12.96%) and Kanyama (7.40%). Most of the study participants (32 participants), were a regular visitor to infectious disease hospital for taking their routine antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) regime while the remaining 22 were from the wards E22, E21 and E12. A total of 77 bacteria were isolated and Eschercichia coli was found to be the most prevalent bacteria to be isolated with 27.30% followed by Protues vulgaris (15.60%) and staphylococcus aures (14.30%). Eschercichia coli been found to be highly resistant to ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim with 95.4% and 80.95% resistance respectively. Foodborne bacteria such as Staphylococcus aurues isolates were 100% resistant to azithromycin and 90.90% resistant to methicillin. While Salmonella paratyphi isolate was 100% resistant to ampicillin, Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. MDR (multidrug resistance) was seen in 19.40% of the isolates and XDR (extended drug resistance) in 27.80% of the foodborne bacterial isolates. Moreover, MDR foodborne bacteria were significantly associated with sample origin (p-value= 0.007). This study has revealed that the issue of drug resistance of foodborne bacteria are at alarming incidence in HIV/AIDS patients. Therefore, proper management in
accordance to one health approach should be followed in order to bring a timely solution.