Inva gene and antibiotic susceptibility of Salmonella Spp isolated from commercially processed broiler carcasses In Lusaka District, Zambia.

Abstract

Poultry meat is considered to be one of the major vehicles of Salmonella infections in humans en implicated in outbreaks of Salmonellosis in humans. The potential for mass outbreaks of Salmonellosis is likely to be linked to the high consumption of poultry meat and the increasing antibiotic resistance of Salmonella spp poses a huge challenge to treatment of the foodborne infection. Determination of virulence genes such as InvA is important as they play a vital role in the establishment and invasion of Salmonella spp in the gastrointestinal tract of the host and therefore is means of detection of the virulence of the pathogen and it is the international standard in the detection of Salmonella spp using molecular techniques. This was a cross-sectional study where two abattoirs were sampled conveniently in Lusaka district. A total of 100 swabs were collected from the 2 abattoirs and submitted to the University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, Paraclinical Sciences laboratory were isolation and identification bacteria was conducted. Presumptive Salmonella colonies were further analysed through conducting biochemical tests, molecular detection of the virulence gene invA through polymerase chain reaction and antibiotic susceptibility testing.The study revealed that 2% of commercially broiler carcasses were contaminated with Salmonella spp. The isolates further showed resistance to two antibiotics, gentamicin and tetracycline after antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The presence of Salmonella spp with a virulence gene (InvA) in commercially processed broilers is a public health concern mostly in sensitive population and multi-drug resistance of the pathogen presents challenge in treatment options of Salmonellosis.