The incidence and antibiotic resistance profiles of Salmonella spp. on Irish retail meat products

Irish retail meat (n = 74) and poultry samples (n = 106) were tested for the presence of naturally occurring Salmonella spp The pathogen was detected in 28 poultry (n =106), two park (n = 22) and one cooked meat samples (n = 20) examined. Salmonella was not isolated from minced beef or lamb samples tested. Initial counts on samples ranged from 0 to log(10) 2.5 cfu g(- 1) . The most commonly isolated serotype was S. bredeney accounting for 48.4% followed by S. kentucky (35.5%) and S. enteritidis (6.5%) Salmonella spp. (n = 31) isolated from food products were also examined for antibiotic resistance A fetal of 155 strains (five strains from each isolate) were tested for resistance to 26 antibiotics using the Bauer method The percentage of samples showing antibiotic resistance amongst Salmonella isolates were as follows. Riampicin (100%); Tetracycline (92.92%); Oxytetracycline (86.26%); Sulphamethoxazole (86.25%) and Streptamycin (80.92%). (C) 1999 Academic Press.