Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the drug resistance of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolated from different types of poultry waste. The study material consisted of feather samples (duck, turkey, chicken), sludge and centrifuge sediment, originating from three poultry farms. The study was conducted in two stages; isolation and identification of Enterococcus bacteria from the waste and evaluation of their drug resistance using Kirby-Bauer method. Contamination of the poultry waste with Enterococcus isolates included E. faecium species (79 %) and E. faecalis (21 %). The most contaminated were sludge and sediment from the centrifuge as well as chicken feathers, irrespective of the place and time of sampling. Tested isolates showed multiple resistance and similar reaction to all antibiotics used in the study and E. faecalis strain was more resistant. Enterococcus isolates showed the highest resistance to streptogramins, carbapenems, fluoroquinones, aminoglycosides and penicillins, and the lowest for nitrofurantions and phenicols.