ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI AND SALMONELLA FROM POULTRY FEED AND LITTER AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PROFILE

Avian salmonellosis is a large group of acute or chronic diseases of birds caused by different species of the genus Salmonella. It is a problem of economic concern for all phases of the poultry industry, from production to marketing. The main aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of Salmonella species in the feed and environment of open-system poultry farms. A total of 46 samples were taken from six poultry farms, layers and broilers. The samples include poultry feed from feeders (23 samples) and litter (23 samples). Isolation of Salmonella was carried out in a selective classical medium (DCA) after enrichment in Selenite-F broth. Four Salmonella isolates represent 5% of total samples were recovered; three isolates (75%) from litter samples and one isolate (25%) recovered from water samples; no Salmonellae were recovered from feed samples. All isolates were identified at the species level using cultural characteristics and biochemical reactions. An antimicrobial sensitivity test for the four Salmonella isolates was carried out. Each isolate was tested to 10 different antibiotics using Mueller and Hinton Agar Medium. All isolates were found sensitive to chloramphenicol, ceftizoxime, and amikacin and resistant to gentamycin, tetracycline, ampicillin/ sulbactam, and piperacillin/ tazobactam.