Prevalence and Antimicrobial-Susceptibility Profiles of Salmonella in Smallhold Broiler Supply Chains in Central Ethiopia

Purpose: Salmonellosis is a foodborne zoonoses found worldwide. The main purpose of this study was to isolate and identify Salmonella and assess their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles from smallhold broilers supply chains and slaughterhouses in Bishoftu and Modjo, central Ethiopia. Methods: Four smallhold broiler farms under the auspices of Chico Meat were selected randomly. Feed, water, and water-and feed-trough samples were collected from broiler farms, while cecal contents were collected from slaughtered chicken at Chico Meat slaughterhouse. Conventional bacteriological techniques were used to isolate and identify Salmonella from the samples. Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion was employed to assess the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Results: Salmonella was isolated from 131 (24.3%, 95% CI 20.74-28.15) of the 539 samples tested. Salmonella was found in 43 of the 250 samples collected from Bishoftu (22%, 95% CI 17.02%-27.65%) and 76 of the 289 samples collected from Modjo (26.29%, 95% CI 21.32%-31.77%). Salmonella was isolated from 26.46% of the cloacal samples, 21% of the cecal contents, 30.77% of the feed samples, 25% of the water samples, 22.22% of samples from feed troughs, and 20% of samples from water troughs. The highest level of resistance (80.81%) was observed against tetracycline, followed by kanamycin (71.72%), chloramphenicol and amoxicillin (67.68%), sulfamethazole-trimethoprim (61.62%), naldixic acid (63.64%), and streptomycin (59.60%), whereas most of the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin (69.70%). Resistance to more than two drugs was also observed. Conclusion: Salmonella was found in high prevalence in broilers, their feed, and their environment. Moreover, a majority of the isolates were resistant to most antimicrobials used in medical and poultry practices. This has significant implications for public health and antimicrobial resistance.