ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TEST OF SALMONELLA AND CONSUMERS’ PERCEPTION ON POULTRY PRODUCT ASSOCIATED SALMONELLA IN INTENSIVE AND BACKYARD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Abstract

Cross-sectional study and intensive investigation at multiple points of chains of poultry production, storage and processing was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella isolated from chicken to assess its environmental contamination in Haramaya University intensive poultry farm and the surrounding backyard production system, to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates against selected drugs, and to assess consumers’ perception on poultry product associated pathogens(salmonella) in the study area. A total of 815 samples from the poultry, poultry products and environments of the poultry farms were collected from both backyard and intensive farming systems. The samples were examined for the prevalence of Salmonella using conventional microbiologic procedure. All isolates were tested against drugs of medicinal importance using disk diffusion technique. Moreover, a total of 98 individuals having different demography were interviewed on the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, on Salmonella related risk management. Accordingly, 32 (3.9%) isolates of Salmonella were isolated from poultry environment, feces and poultry product (egg). Salmonella was isolated from environment and poultry feces each account 37.5% of isolates, and eggs (25%). Higher prevalence of Salmonella was found in backyard environment (6.5%) than intensive environment (2.1%). The prevalence in backyard (5.5%) were relatively higher than 2.4% in the intensive farm. The prevalence was 6.5%, 4.9% and 5.0% in environmental sample, poultry feces and egg obtained from backyard, while relatively low 2.1%, 2.4% and 3.0% in respective sample source in intensive farming. Again, litter (18.2%) and watering trough (7.5%) in backyard, and litter (4.0%) and egg shell (4.0%) in intensive farm were highly contaminated with Salmonella than other sample sources (0-3.6%). Regarding antimicrobial susceptibility, none of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to Ciprofloxacin and Ceftriaxone. In contrast, none of the Salmonella isolates were susceptible to Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Tetracycline and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Basically, these antimicrobials are not commonly used to treat animals in Ethiopia. It was also found that 96.9% of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to more than one antimicrobials (multi-drug resistance, MDR). Regarding respondents perception, 24.5% consume raw eggs for medicinal and health benefit reason, necessitating more attention than chicken meat particularly in a society who consume raw egg. Majority of respondents (65.3%) stored eggs at room temperature and others (29.6%) kept at refrigerator. As a poultry manure enhance soil fertility, nearly 88% of respondents were use poultry manure as a source soil nutrient. On the other hand, poultry manure can also be a source of Salmonella. Thus, it is wise to use Salmonella free poultry manure as source of soil fertilizer from uninfected poultry and poultry environment. None of respondents were consume raw chicken meat, but consume cooked (69.4%) or fried (30.6%) chicken meat. In all, personnel training to create awareness on overall management of Salmonella, restrictions on the uncontrolled use of antimicrobials, effecting antimicrobial resistant monitoring system should play a role to safe guard the health of poultry and poultry product consumers.