PREVALENCE AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SALMONELLA SPECIES ISOLATED FROM BEEF AND ITS RELATED SAMPLES IN TECHIMAN MUNICIPALITY OF GHANA

Abstract

Salmonella species are important foodborne pathogens that have been implicated in a number of foodborne outbreaks. A total of 240 beef and its related samples obtained from the Techiman Municipality of Ghana were screened using the conventional method in the Food and Drug Administration-Bacteriological Analytical Manual (FDA-BAM)-USA. The overall prevalence of Salmonella species was 57.08%. The prevalence of Salmonella species ranged from 33.30% to 75.00% in the meat and its related samples (table, knife and apron), and 6.30% to 93.80% at the various meat sale points (locations where meat is sold). Prevalence of Salmonella species was significantly higher in meat (75.00%), table (60.00%) and knife (60.00%), than apron (33.33%). The most contaminated meat sale point was Kenten and Main markets (93.75%) and the least contaminated sale point was Sansema junction (6.25%). All the Salmonella species were susceptible to ciprofloxacin but resistant to vancomycin. Intermediate resistances occur for all the antibiotics except ciprofloxacin and vancomycin. The Salmonella species also exhibited 23 antibiotic resistant patterns with the pattern EVa (erythromycin and vancomycin) being the commonest (exhibited by nine different isolates). Multiple antibiotic index (MAR index) ranged from 0.11 to 0.67. This study revealed that beef and its related samples in Techiman markets are contaminated with Salmonella.