Prevalence and Characterization of Antibiotic Resistance Food Borne Pathogens Isolated from Locally Produced Chicken Raw Meat and their Handlers

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and the potential public health significance of Salmonella (S.)serovars, Escherichia coli (E.coli), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in raw chicken meat which is available in domestic retail shops as well as their handlers in Mansoura City, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Samples of retail raw chicken meat (n = 200) as well as equal sized samples of hand swabs and stool specimens (n = 50) from retail handlers were bacteriologically tested E.coli, Staph. aureus and Salmonellaspp., wererecovered from the raw chicken meat at the following percentages: (35, 22 and 5%, respectively) using conventional biochemical identification methods. Serotyping of the obtained Salmonella spp., revealed that Salmonella Kentuckypresented at the highest rate of isolation followedby Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Typhimurium.High frequency of S. aureus were found to colonize the skin (40%) and the stool specimens (30%) of chicken meat handlers; whereas four out of 50 stool samples (8%) and one out of 50 hand swabs (2%) from handlers were found to be contaminated with Salmonella spp.E.coli was also detected in 40% of the stool samples and in 24% of handlers hand swabs. Serological identification of E. coli isolates revealed the presence of E. coli(O26: H11, O103:H2, O128:H2, O111:H2 andO78) in the examined raw meat, O26: H11, O2:H4 and O128:H2 in stool samples and O26: H11,O103:H2 and O125:H21 in hand swabs.All recovered isolates showed various degree of antibiotic resistance. It becomes apparent that retail chicken raw meat sold at the respective shops at Mansoura city is highly contaminated with food-borne pathogens which is considered a potential vehicle for transmitting food-borne diseases. Hence there is an urgent need for increased implementation of consumer food safety education efforts.