Abstract

Objective: To detect Salmonella species and its’ serovars, Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) and Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in retail raw beef and chicken in Nigerian markets. Methods: A total of 100 samples, including 50 beef and 50 chicken were purchased from retailers in Lagos, Nigeria. Presence of Salmonella species and its’ serovars, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium in the beef and chicken were assessed phenotypically and by PCR assay. Antibiotic susceptibility test of the isolates was done. Primers were from fliC and sefA genes of Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis, respectively. Results: From PCR analysis, fliC gene (559 bp) was amplified in one beef sample and was positive for S. Typhimurium while sefA gene (312 bp) was amplified in one chicken and three beef samples and were positive for S. Enteritidis. In all, 1% of total meat had S. Typhimurium while 4% and 18% were contaminated with S. Enteritidis and Salmonella spp., respectively. For beef, 2% was contaminated with S. Typhimurium, 6% with S. Enteritidis and 26% with Salmonella spp. In chicken 2% was contaminated with S. Enteritidis, 12% with Salmonella spp. A total of 23 isolates were obtained by ERIC-PCR. All Salmonella spp. were 100% resistant to amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanate. Strains of S. Enteritidis were also resistant to cotrimoxazole, nitrofurantoin, nalidixic acid, gentamycin and tetracycline. Conclusions: The presence of S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis and Salmonella spp. in retail raw beef and chicken and their multi-drug resistance is of health significance and great concern because the two serovars are commonly implicated in human salmonellosis.

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