Isolation, Serotyping, and Antibiogram of Salmonella Isolates from Raw Milk Sold at Retail Vending in Erbil City, Iraq

Abstract

Pathogenic strains of Salmonella cause gastroenteritis in humans globally.This study aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Salmonellain raw milk sold in Erbil city, Kurdistanregion, Iraq. A total of 470 samples were collected from retail vendors between January and June 2019. Samples were cultured on selective media followed by serotyping and antibiotic sensitivity testing by disk diffusion assay.The results revealed that the overall prevalence of Salmonella was 7.9%. The isolates belonged to nine (9) different serotypes: S.Typhimurium 18.9%, S.Anatum 10.8%, S.Muenchen 13.6%, S.Enteritidis 10.8%, S.Senftenberg 8.1%, S. Newport 10.8%, S. Arizona 10.8%, S. Montevideo 8.1%, and S.Dublin 8.1%. The antibiotic resistance profile revealed that 67.6%, 62.2%, 56.8%,and 56.8% of isolates were resistant to levofloxacin, streptomycin, imipenem, and tetracycline respectively. This resistance among Salmonella maypose a public health threat that needs activesafety measures and response.