Prevalence of multidrug-resistant Shigella and Salmonella in raw chicken cuts and giblets

Abdelghaffar, Mohamed Alahmady; Arab, Walid S.; Heikal, Gamal Ibrahim; Shaltout, Fahim Aziz Eldeen

doi:10.21608/bvmj.2025.357382.1930

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant Shigella and Salmonella in raw chicken cuts and giblets

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt.

² Food Hygiene Department, Animal Health Research Institute, Veterinary Research Center, Tanta Branch, Egypt.

10.21608/bvmj.2025.357382.1930

Abstract

This investigation aimed to determine Shigella and Salmonella prevalence in fresh chicken-giblets (gizzard and liver) and -cuts (thigh and breast), thirty of each, collected from multiple Egyptian marketplaces in Menoufia, Gharbia, and Cairo governorates. Additionally, the isolated bacteria were evaluated for antibiotic resistance genes and phenotypes. Shigella were detected at the same incidence as Salmonellae (21.67%; 26/120), with 19 isolated from sixty giblets (31.67%) and 7 from sixty cuts (11.67%). Shigella and Salmonella species were greater in chicken liver than in thigh or breast cuts. All Shigella were resistant to sulfonamide and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, whereas Salmonellae were resistant to ceftriaxone, sulfonamides, and linezolid. While 80% of Salmonellae showed ceftriaxone-, levofloxacin-, and linezolid-resistance, 80% of Shigella were found to be resistant to gentamicin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Norfloxacin was effective against 80% of Shigella- and Salmonella-isolates. Both Shigella and Salmonella isolates were completely multidrug resistant (MDR), with 60% and 40% resistant to all antibiotic classes tested, respectively. Shigella and Salmonella isolates exhibited two and four MDR combinations, with multiple antibiotic resistance indexes of 0.57 to 1 and 0.43 to 1, respectively. Molecular study revealed that all five currently isolated Shigella and Salmonella strains possessed blaTEM and qnrA antibiotic resistance genes, but only two Salmonella isolates had ereA, and all five Shigellae isolates lacked ereA. The current high prevalence of multidrug-resistant highly zoonotic bacteria, Salmonella and Shigella, in fresh chicken-giblets and -cuts raises public health concerns and demands appropriate pre- and post-harvest interventions to restrict their spread in the food chain.

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