Contaminated ponds can become reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant strains of faecal bacteria including enterococci which are capable of contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance into the marine environment. As such, this book aimed to characterize the antimicrobial resistance profile of Enterococcus species from fish ponds in Benin City, Edo State.

A total of 376 water samples were obtained from four different fish ponds between February and July, 2015 and were investigated for the presence of Enterococcus species using standard bacteriological methods. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates were determined by adopting the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

From the 376 water samples analysed for the presence of enterococci isolates, 100 isolates each from Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium were isolated from the four fish ponds investigated. The mean enterococal counts from the four fish ponds investigated ranged from 4±0.

01 × 102 to 12±0. 17 × 102 CFU/ml.

Statistical analysis reveals that there was a significant difference observed in the mean enterococcal counts obtained from the four different fish ponds in the study (p <0>p <0>r = 0. 876) of the multidrug resistant profile on the number of isolates studied was observed (p > 0.

05). Adherence to adequate and proper use of manure products and frequent discharge of water from fish pond will reduce the high level of antimicrobial resistance in Enterococcus species isolated from fish ponds and also reduce the potential risk to human health.

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