IN-VITRO SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI STRAINS ISOLATED FROM DIARRHEIC LAMBS AND GOAT KIDS TO 14 ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS

The in vitro activities of 14 anti-microbial agents were determined ag ainst 92 strains of E. coli isolated from lambs (60 strains) and kids (32 strains) affected by neonatal diarrhoea. The overall percentage of resistant strains to streptomycin, sulphadimethoxine and tetracycline was very high (above 70%). A high level of resistance (from 30% to 50 %) to ampicillin, kanamycin, neomycin and chloramphenicol was also det ected. The E. coli strains were highly susceptible to cephalosporins, polymyxin and quinolones. Most of the strains showed multiresistance: 77.2% of isolates were resistant to at least two antibiotics, 55.4% we re resistant to at least four antibiotics and 33.7% were resistant to at least six antibiotics. A total of 34 antibiotypes could be distingu ished.