Investigating the Prevalence and Drug Resistance of Salmonella Bacteria in İndustrial and Local Chicken Meat in the Day Market of Rasht City

Abstract

Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne pathogens, often associated with contamination of poultry products, and it poses a significant concern for public health worldwide. This study aimed to conduct a comparative investigation of Salmonella bacteria in slaughterhouse chicken meat versus local market chicken meat in the city of Rasht. Study samples were collected from authorized chicken sellers in Rasht, totaling 417 samples of industrial slaughter (chicken parts and components) over a two-month period from Shahrivar to the end of Mehr 1402. These samples are from two different industrial producers. Additionally, 459 local slaughter samples (chicken parts and components) were collected from the major market in Rasht during the same period. Twenty-five grams of each chicken in the sample were isolated (under completely sterile conditions and alongside a flame). Furthermore, 225 milliliters of sterile peptone water (culturing medium) were added inside special bags of a stomacher device that were sterile, and the samples were thoroughly mixed by the device. Microtubes containing samples in the centrifuge device were centrifuged at 11,000 rpm for 10 minutes. After drying the DNA, 200 microliters of genome-free water were added to the tubes using a sterile single-channel pipette. Disk diffusion testing, also known as Kirby-Bauer method, was used. The research results show that in the industrial chicken group, 25 samples, equivalent to 6%, and in the local chicken group, 12 samples, equivalent to 2.6%, are contaminated with this bacterium. It is worth mentioning that in the industrial chicken group, samples resistant to amoxicillin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, azithromycin, nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim make up the largest volume of samples, and a similar pattern is observed in the local chicken group, with only amoxicillin being different, and samples sensitive to amoxicillin have a higher frequency. It is recommended that by equipping local and industrial chicken farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills, we can strive to reduce the occurrence of Salmonella in chickens and maintain public health, as reducing contamination from the source is always considered the most effective method.