Research Article | 26 Oct 2025

One Health surveillance of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in broilers and market environments in Aceh, Indonesia: A triangulated sampling approach

Teuku Reza Ferasyi1,2 , Mahdi Abrar3,4 , Ismail Ismail1,2 , Wahyu Eka Sari1,2 , Azhari Azhari1,2 , Mustafa Sabri3,5 , Faisal Jamin3,4 , Erwin Erwin3,6 , Siti Rani Ayuti3,7 , and Mirni Lamid8 Show more
VETERINARY WORLD | pg no. 3149-3161 | Vol. 18, Issue 10 | DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.3149-3161
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Abstract

          
Background and Aim: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli in poultry poses a critical threat to food safety and public health. While studies have assessed resistance at the farm level, limited attention has been given to informal market envi­ronments that connect animals, humans, and surfaces. This study applied a One Health triangulation sampling approach to investigate the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles of E. coli isolated from broiler chickens and associ­ated environments in traditional markets in Aceh Besar District and Banda Aceh City, Indonesia.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three traditional markets (Lambaro, Al-Mahirah, and Seutui). A total of 174 samples were collected, comprising fecal swabs (n = 54), chicken meat swabs (n = 54), poultry sellers’ hand swabs (n = 48), and chicken display table swabs (n = 18). Isolation of E. coli was performed using culture and biochem­ical confirmation. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method against 11 antibiotics commonly used in veterinary and human medicine.
Results: Overall, E. coli was isolated from 31.03% (54/174) of samples. Contamination was highest in fecal samples (13.79%), followed by chicken meat (8.62%), sellers’ hands (4.60%), and display tables (4.02%). Market-level prevalence was highest at Al-Mahirah (13.2%), followed by Lambaro (11.49%) and Seutui (6.32%). All isolates exhibited MDR phenotypes. Distinct variation in resistance profiles was observed between sample types in a range of 12.5%-100%. Percentage of resistance of isolates from all sample types were uniformly high to ampicillin (100%). Isolates from fecal and display table were 100% resistant to erythromycin and kanamycin, as well as to streptomycin. The variation of resistance profiles from each sample types were also observed between markets.
Conclusion: Traditional poultry markets represent critical hotspots for AMR dissemination at the human–animal–environment interface. Findings highlight the combined influence of unregulated antibiotic use in poultry production and inadequate hygiene practices on sustaining MDR E. coli. The triangulated One Health design demonstrates the added value of integrat­ing animal, human, and environmental sampling for AMR surveillance. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship, upgrading market hygiene infrastructure, and expanding integrated surveillance into national AMR monitoring frameworks are essen­tial steps to mitigate public health risks.
          
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, broiler chicken, Escherichia coli, Indonesia, One Health, traditional markets.