Abstract
Present study aimed at investigating the magnitude of the prevalence and antibiotic resistance among four Salmonella spp. i.e., S. typhi, S. paratyphi A, S. paratyphi B and S. typhimurium. Raw milk and environment samples were collected from the five districts of southern part of the province of Punjab in Pakistan i.e., Multan, Bahawalpur, Lodhran, Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh. Extent of antibiotic resistance was also determined and classified as resistant, intermediate and susceptible. District–wise prevalence data on Salmonella spp. in milk and environmental samples indicated higher S. typhi, S. paratyphi B and S. typhimurium count in Bahawalpur, D.G. Khan and Muzaffargarh districts, respectively. Amongst 13 tested antibiotics, chloramphenicol and ofloxacin were found to be the most susceptible against Salmonella spp. Increased emergence of antibacterial resistance was noted with respect to the type of antibiotics among Salmonella spp. isolates. The study suggests serious interventions to be practiced by the farmers and raw milk vendors in animal husbandry and milk marketing, respectively to curb the burden of Salmonella spp. prevalence in milk. Further, active engagement of animal health division and enforcement agencies to ensure sagacious use of antibiotics at farm level may also help in containment of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella spp.
Highlights
Raw milk is considered as a primary source of essential nutrients by a variety of farming families and workers
Khan i.e., 32% followed by Muzaffargarh (31%) and Bahawalpur (28%) while the lowest rate of Salmonella spp. prevalence i.e., 20% was witnessed from the milk and environmental samples collected from the towns of Lodhran district (Fig 2)
Our results indicated that S. paratyphi A had not yet acquired multidrug resistance against these antibiotics, these drugs could be applied as treatment options against illness caused by this microorganism
Summary
Raw milk is considered as a primary source of essential nutrients by a variety of farming families and workers. Milk processing is discouraged in some cultures and raw milk is preferred for consumption despite the fact that raw milk is reported to be the best breeding site for pathogenic microbial strains. Salmonella has been considered as the major foodborne pathogen leading to an upsurge in enteric infection cases. Three groups of Salmonella serotypes have been considered responsible for causing distinctive clinical syndromes including typhoid fever, enteritis and bacteremia [2]. Infections by non-typhoid Salmonella serovars have been shown to result in acute gastroenteritis with extra intestinal localized infections that may eventually affect some organs [3].
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