PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA SPECIES IN HEN EGGS AND EGG STORING-TRAYS COLLECTED FROM POULTRY FARMS AND MARKETING OUTLETS OF FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Salmonellosis is a food-borne bacterial disease having a zoonotic importance in global perspective. A huge range of foodstuffs have been involved in salmonellosis, yet animal originated foods typically from poultry products including eggs have been consistently involved in outbreaks of disease. To study the prevalence of Salmonella species a total of 384 samples were collected including hen eggs (252) and egg storing trays (132) from various poultry farms and marketing outlets of Faisalabad. A sterile cotton swab was used for sampling the surface of eggs and egg storing trays. Egg yolk and albumin was also checked for the presence of Salmonella spp. Hektoen enteric agar was used as selective media for isolation of Salmonella species and to identify Salmonella serovars polyvalent antisera were used. Prevalence was observed 29.36 and 38.88% in eggshells, 10.31 and 15.07% in egg contents and 28.78 and 43.93% in egg storing trays from poultry farms and marketing outlets, respectively. The occurrence of Salmonella spp. was lower in eggs collected from poultry farms and in egg storing paper trays as compared to that of eggs collected from market outlets and in egg storing plastic trays.