Involvement of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the spoilage of freshwater fish species sold at the Medina Coura market in Bamako, Mali

In Africa, the issue of the conservation of fresh fish, which is an extremely perishable product, deserves special attention. Spoilage in fresh and lightly preserved fish is caused by microbial action. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a spoilage bacterium specific to fresh frozen fish.

Methods /Design: Twenty (20) fish species of economic interest and distributed among 09 families were selected. King A and King B media were used for the isolation of Pseudomonas. The biochemical characterization was carried out on Api 20 NE identification gallery.

Results: A total of 80 isolates were obtained, 19% of which belong to the Pseudomonadaceae family. Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been identified in 15 species of fish. The frequency of occurrence varies from one species to another.

Conclusions: P. aeruginosa being the most dangerous species of Pseudomonas for human health having been found in our fish samples, the consumption of these fish can be considered dangerous for the health of the consumer.

Fish must be kept cold. The deterioration time depends mainly on the storage temperature and species of fish, so it is impossible to preserve all the freshness of the fish under artisanal conditions.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, spoilage, fresh fish, freshwater, Mali.