eng Science and Education Publishing American Journal of Microbiological Research 2328-4137 2017-12-02 5 6 124 130 10.12691/ajmr-5-6-2 AJMR2017562 article Toé E. lyne_ci@yahoo.fr 1 Dadié A. 1 Dako E. 2 Blé Y.C. 2 Toty A. 3 Loukou G. 4 Djè K.M. 4 Laboratory of biotechnology and food microbiology, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nanguy Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Cote d'Ivoire Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, School of Food Science, Nutrition and Family Studies, Faculty of Health Science and Community Services, University of Moncton, 18 Av Antonine-Maillet, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, New-Brunswick, Canada Laboratoire de Bactériologie-Virologie, Unité des Antibiotiques, des Substances Naturelles et de la Surveillance des Résistances des Micro-Organismes aux Anti-Infectieux (ASSURMI) de l’Institut Pasteur, 01 BP 490 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire National laboratory of public health (LNSP) medical, industrial and microbiology service, 18 BP 2403 Abidjan 18, Côte d'Ivoire In recent years many cases of food poisoning due to the consumption of vegetable salads contaminated with antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli have been reported. The objective of the study was to detect the profile and the genetic factors of antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli, isolated from ready-to-eat raw mixed vegetable salads, in catering. A total of 218 E. coli strains isolated from salads were confirmed by identification of iudA gene. Antibiotic resistance profile was determined by the agar diffusion method and by the detection of resistance genetic supports. Prevalence of E. coli resistant to antibiotics in vegetable salads was 70.2% with 28.4% of multi-resistant. Antibiotic resistance particularly concerned tetracycline (52.3%), streptomycin (38.5%) and to a lesser extent, nalidixic acid (15.6%). The genes aaa [3] -IV, CIMT, QnrA, tetA, tetB, cmlA and cat1 respectively conferring resistance to gentamicin, ampicillin, quinolones, tetracycline and chloramphenicol were highlighted. The study reveals that the risk of contamination by strains of E. coli resistant to antibiotics exist and require healthy control measures. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajmr/5/6/2/ajmr-5-6-2.pdf vegetable salads Escherichia coli antibiotic resistance collective catering Abidjan