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ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN SALMONELLA SEROTYPES ISOLATED FROM SLAUGHTER ANIMALS IN KENYA
Abstract
Objectives: To isolate Salmonella from food animals and characterise the antimicrobial resistance
of the isolates.
Design: A random sampling of slaughter animals was carried out.
Setting: Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi, Kenya
and Institute for Animal Breeding, Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
Subjects: Two hundred and eighty five samples, including faecal samples and carcass, cloacal and
pharyngeal swab samples were analysed.
Results: Sixteen (5.6%) of 285 samples were positive for Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella
on pig carcasses (19%) was higher than in faeces (8.6%). Three Salmonella enterica sub-species
enterica serovars, namely Saintpaul (S. Saintpaul), Braenderup (S. Braenderup), and Heidelberg
(S. Heidelberg), were identified, with S. Saintpaul being the predominant serovar. Antimicrobial
resistance was found in 35.7% of all the isolates. The S. Heidelberg isolates were susceptible to all
the antimicrobial agents tested. Multidrug resistance was found in 7.1% of the resistant Salmonella
isolates. Plasmids were only detected in S. Heidelberg. Ampicillin resistance was based on expression
of a blaTEM gene, while chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and tetracycline resistances were encoded
by the genes catAl, strA, and tet(A), respectively.
Conclusion: Pigs may serve as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella and slaughterhouse
cross-contamination of pork may be a food safety risk. We recommended that slaughterhouse
hygiene be improved to minimise contamination of pig carcasses.
of the isolates.
Design: A random sampling of slaughter animals was carried out.
Setting: Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi, Kenya
and Institute for Animal Breeding, Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
Subjects: Two hundred and eighty five samples, including faecal samples and carcass, cloacal and
pharyngeal swab samples were analysed.
Results: Sixteen (5.6%) of 285 samples were positive for Salmonella. The prevalence of Salmonella
on pig carcasses (19%) was higher than in faeces (8.6%). Three Salmonella enterica sub-species
enterica serovars, namely Saintpaul (S. Saintpaul), Braenderup (S. Braenderup), and Heidelberg
(S. Heidelberg), were identified, with S. Saintpaul being the predominant serovar. Antimicrobial
resistance was found in 35.7% of all the isolates. The S. Heidelberg isolates were susceptible to all
the antimicrobial agents tested. Multidrug resistance was found in 7.1% of the resistant Salmonella
isolates. Plasmids were only detected in S. Heidelberg. Ampicillin resistance was based on expression
of a blaTEM gene, while chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and tetracycline resistances were encoded
by the genes catAl, strA, and tet(A), respectively.
Conclusion: Pigs may serve as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella and slaughterhouse
cross-contamination of pork may be a food safety risk. We recommended that slaughterhouse
hygiene be improved to minimise contamination of pig carcasses.
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