title: Distribution of Salmonella serovars and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella Enteritidis from poultry in Zimbabwe.
abstract: A study was carried out to determine the distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Salmonella serovars from chickens from large-scale commercial (LSC), small-scale commercial (SSC), and rural free-range (RFR) farms of Zimbabwe. Pooled cloacal swabs were collected for culture and isolation of Salmonella spp. A chi-square test was used to assess distribution differences of salmonellas among the farming sectors. Approximately 10% (283/2833) of the swabs were positive for Salmonella enterica, with only subspecies enterica (98.6%) and arizonae (1.4%) being detected. The prevalence of S. enterica varied significantly (P<0.05) among areas, with Harare (27.8%) and Buhera (1.3%) recording the highest and the least prevalence, respectively. S. enterica was only isolated from LSC and SSC farms, with the former having a significantly (P<0.001; χ(2)=155.3) higher prevalence than the latter. S. arizonae was only isolated from the SSC farms while none were obtained from the RFR farms. The serovars isolated were Salmonella Enteritidis (72.8%), Group C (20.1%), Group B (4.2%), Salmonella Typhimurium (1.1%) and Salmonella Gallinarum (0.4%). S. Enteritidis predominated in the urban/periurban areas. Approximately 26% (53/206) of S. Enteritidis isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents. Resistance to tetracycline was the most common, while no resistance was detected for furazolidone, neomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. There were 12.1% multi-drug-resistant S. Enteritidis isolates, and the resistance to ampicillin/kanamycin was predominant. The identification of multi-drug-resistant S. Enteritidis is of public health concern. Thus, stringent control of S. Enteritidis will reduce the public health risk of human salmonellosis.
authors.affiliation: Central Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Technical Services, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Makaya
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matope
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pfukenyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents