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The present study was undertaken with the objective of phenotypic and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli isolates from poultry. A total of 300 cloacal swabs were collected, i.e., 200 from layer birds and 100 from broiler birds from three different farms in and around Junagadh district of Gujarat state. Out of 300 samples, 126 (42.00%) samples yielded E. coli. These isolates belonged to layer 85 (42.50%) and broiler 41 (41.00%) birds. Out of 126 isolates, 27 (21.43%) were confirmed as ESBL producers, i.e., 19 (22.35%) and 8 (19.51%) from layer and broiler birds, respectively, by initial screening of isolates for their susceptibility to any of the third and fourth generation cephalosporins or monobactam antibiotics by disc diffusion method and further confirmation by combination disc method using ESBL identification kits. Out of 27 phenotypically confirmed ESBL E. coli isolates blaTEM was detected in 21 (77.78%) and blaAmpC was detected in 15 (55.56%) isolates, while all the 27 isolates were found negative for the presence of blaSHV and blaCTXM genes. All the 27 isolates were found positive for either blaTEM or blaAmpC gene. Nine (33.33%) out of 27 isolates were found positive for both blaTEM and blaAmpC genes. The findings warrant the need for more strict regulations for usage of antibiotics in veterinary practices in order to prevent the emergence and dissemination of multidrug resistant E. coli pathogens among birds, animals, and humans.

The present study was carried out on bovine mastitis with an objective to screen bovine milk samples around Junagadh for status of subclinical mastitis (SCM) by somatic cell count (SCC), to reveal the prevalence of staphylococcal mastitis by conventional and molecular methods and to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance pattern of the isolated Staphylococci. Total 390 bovine milk samples (180 from clinical mastitis and 210 from apparently healthy animals) were collected. Among 210 milk samples from healthy bovine, 72 samples showed SCC value andgt; 5 lakhs/mL revealing 34.29% prevalence of SCM. A primary culture isolation of 252 milk samples (72 SCM and 180 clinical mastitis) showed 38.72% prevalence of Staphylococcal mastitis. The isolated Staphylococci were further characterized by biochemical tests which showed prevalence of coagulase negative Staphylococci and S. aureus 23.08% and 15.64%, respectively. The high resistance of Staphylococci was observed against ceftriaxone and amoxicillin-salbactum which displays antibiotic usage pattern in the region. Likewise bacterial isolates studied were highly sensitive to levofloxacin which suggest judicious use of this antibiotic in treatment of bovine mastitis. All the conventionally isolated Staphylococci and S. aurues were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction targeting 16S rRNA and nuc gene respectively in shorter period of time which signifies the superiority of molecular diagnostic tools.