Identification and Characterization of Salmonella Serovars Isolated from Pig Farms in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria: One Health Perspective

The present study was carried out to characterizeSalmonellaserovars from commercial pig farms in Benin City, Nigeria. A total of 81 samples were collected from the Agricultural Development Program farms between January and June 2017. Standard culture-based and polymerase chain reaction procedures were adopted in the isolation and identification ofSalmonellaserovars. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the isolates were conducted using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with prominent resistance determinants screened for using specific primer sets. The 84 identifiedSalmonellaserovars include 15Salmonellaser. Enteritidis, 11Salmonellaser. Typhimurium, and 58 otherSalmonellaserovars. Phenotypic virulence factors include: hemolytic activity (51.7-100%), lipase activity (48.3-81.8%), protease activity (60.3-100%), gelatinase production (50-90.9%), DNA degrading activity (55.2-90.9%), and S-layer formation (63.8-100%). The biofilm formation profiles include nonbiofilm producers (0-12.1%), weak biofilm producers (0-20%), moderate biofilm producers (24.1-27.3%), and strong biofilm producers (48.3-72.7%).Salmonellaserovars in this study harbored resistant determinants, such astetA,tetC,ampC,sul1,sul2,sul3,floR,ermA, andermC. The occurrence of resistance phenotype and determinants in pathogenicSalmonellaserovars from pig farms is a significant public health concern, which could result in the dissemination of resistant elements within the environment.