Prevalence and Antimicrobial-Susceptibility Profiles of Salmonella in Smallhold Broiler Supply Chains in Central Ethiopia

• Main Authors: Belachew T, Mulusew E, Tolosa Y, Asefa Z, Negussie H, Sori T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-09-01
• Series: Infection and Drug Resistance
• Subjects: antimicrobials; broilers; central ethiopia; resistance; salmonella smallholder farms
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/prevalence-and-antimicrobial-susceptibility-profiles-of-salmonella-in--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IDR

Tesfaye Belachew,1 Eyuel Mulusew,2 Yonas Tolosa,2 Zerihun Asefa,3 Haileleul Negussie,4 Teshale Sori4 1Epidemiology Unit, Asella Regional Veterinary Laboratory, Asella, Oromia State, Ethiopia; 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Oromia State, Ethiopia; 3Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Oromia State, Ethiopia; 4Department of Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Oromia State, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Teshale SoriDepartment of Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 34, East Shewa Zone, Bishoftu, Oromia State, Ethiopia, Tel [phone]Email [e-mail]; [e-mail]: Salmonellosis is a foodborne zoonoses found worldwide. The main purpose of this study was to isolate and identify Salmonella and assess their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles from smallhold broilers supply chains and slaughterhouses in Bishoftu and Modjo, central Ethiopia.Methods: Four smallhold broiler farms under the auspices of Chico Meat were selected randomly. Feed, water, and water- and feed-trough samples were collected from broiler farms, while cecal contents were collected from slaughtered chicken at Chico Meat slaughterhouse. Conventional bacteriological techniques were used to isolate and identify Salmonella from the samples. Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion was employed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates.Results: Salmonella was isolated from 131 (24.3%, 95% CI 20.74– 28.15) of the 539 samples tested. Salmonella was found in 43 of the 250 samples collected from Bishoftu (22%, 95% CI 17.02%– 27.65%) and 76 of the 289 samples collected from Modjo (26.29%, 95% CI 21.32%– 31.77%). Salmonella was isolated from 26.46% of the cloacal samples, 21% of the cecal contents, 30.77% of the feed samples, 25% of the water samples, 22.22% of samples from feed troughs, and 20% of samples from water troughs. The highest level of resistance (80.81%) was observed against tetracycline, followed by kanamycin (71.72%), chloramphenicol and amoxicillin (67.68%), sulfamethazole–trimethoprim (61.62%), naldixic acid (63.64%), and streptomycin (59.60%), whereas most of the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin (69.70%). Resistance to more than two drugs was also observed.Conclusion: Salmonella was found in high prevalence in broilers, their feed, and their environment. Moreover, a majority of the isolates were resistant to most antimicrobials used in medical and poultry practices. This has significant implications for public health and antimicrobial resistance.Keywords: antimicrobials, broilers, central Ethiopia, resistance, Salmonella, smallhold farms