Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Poultry Associated Bacterial Pathogens

Abstract

In order to meet consumer demand, the global poultry business is constantly expanding; hence it is crucial to ensure the bio-safety of the poultry farms. In poultry farms, the main sources of bacterial development, increased antibiotic resistance, and environmental dispersion may be poultry feed, litter, and water. The focus of this research is on the identification and characterization of bacterial pathogens found in commercial poultry farms, drinking water samples, feed samples, and litter samples. The 100 samples were gathered from chicken farms in different districts of Tamil Nadu and transported to the lab for additional examination. Serial dilution was used to analyse the samples, which were then examined for colony morphology, microscopic features, and the biochemical traits of the bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Proteus spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Bacillus spp., staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. The disc diffusion method was used to evaluate bacterial isolates against various antibiotic drugs. The results of this research indicate that the main sources of bacterial infections are chicken feed, drinking water samples and poultry litter. Salmonella, Pseudomonas, and E. coli prevalence rates were 94%, 80%, and 75%, respectively. Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline both had overall antibiotic resistance rates of 65.65% and 59.23%, respectively. Public health is alarmingly threatened by the presence of these harmful microorganisms in poultry habitats. To reduce the chance of transmitting the bacterial diseases linked to poultry, strict hygiene procedures must be put in place. The use of antibiotics in chicken for promoting growth and illness prevention needs to be properly regulated and executed.