Abstract

Salmonellosis and antimicrobial resistance caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella are public health concerns. This study aimed at determining prevalence, serovars, virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella from beef products. Four-hundred beef samples from 25 retail outlets in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were analyzed for Salmonella using standard methods, confirmation with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight and serotyping according to the White–Kauffmann–Le Minor scheme. The Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine antimicrobial resistance against Cefotaxime, Kanamycin, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Trimethoprim Sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Gentamicin Cefoxitin and Tetracycline. A polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect invA, agfA, lpfA, hilA, sivH, sefA, sopE, and spvC virulence genes. Salmonella was observed in 1.25% (5/400) of the samples. Four serovars (Enteritidis, Hadar, Heidelberg, Stanley) were identified. Almost all Salmonella were susceptible to all antimicrobials except S. Enteritidis isolate that was resistant to Tetracycline, Ampicillin and Amoxicillin. All Salmonella isolates carried at least two virulence factors. The findings indicate low Salmonella prevalence in meat from selected KZN retail beef; however, routine surveillance to monitor risk associated with virulence factors is required to mitigate potential outbreaks. The resistant S. Enteritidis highlights a need to routinely monitor antimicrobial resistance in order to enhance human health.

Highlights

  • Animal-sourced foods contribute to a significant portion of the global foodbornedisease burden [1]

  • The aim of this study was to expand the knowledge on the prevalence, serovars, antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors from Salmonella isolates that were recovered from beef and beef products among selected retail outlets from the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa

  • Antimicrobial resistance was low, with only one strain being resistant, though we only investigated five strains, which is not representative of the potential resistance that can be found in Salmonella from beef products

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Summary

Introduction

Animal-sourced foods contribute to a significant portion of the global foodbornedisease burden [1]. A higher infection rate with Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotypes in low to middle income countries has been reported possibly due to poor hygiene standards in food production as well as high rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), malaria, malnutrition and other clinical associations [2]. Among the various types of Salmonella spp., non-typhoid Salmonella (NTS) causes an estimated 80 million illnesses and 30,000 deaths each year [2,3]. The predominant cause of NTS infection in humans is animal-derived foods such as meat, eggs and milk [4]. The gastrointestinal contents may cross-contaminate the carcass surface during slaughter, mostly during evisceration and hide removal [5]. Salmonella contamination is more frequent in poultry and pork meat, beef has been closely associated with outbreaks of salmonellosis over the years [5]. Contamination from unsterile equipment, utensils and workers’ hands as well as cross-contamination between different carcasses and meat types at abattoirs and retail outlets increases the prevalence of Salmonella in meat products [7]

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