RESUMO
Present work was conducted to determine the total aerobic plate count of raw chicken meat samples, isolation of the Listeria spp. and determining their pathogenicity along with antibiotic susceptibility pattern. The 100 raw chicken meat samples, collected from different retail outlets in and around Durg district of Chhattisgarh, revealed mean APC of 23.67×105 cfu/g (6.374 log10 cfu/g). Cultural examination of raw chicken meat samples showed an overall 37% prevalence of Listeria spp., comprising of L. monocytogenes (16%), L. grayi (11%), L. welshimeri (5%), L. ivanovii (3%) and L. innocua (2%). All the Listeria isolates exhibited a typical β-heamolysis with narrow zone on sheep blood agar and enhancement of hemolytic zone in CAMP test. The haemolytic Listerial isolates developed kerato conjunctivitis in Anton’s test and stunting as well as hemorrhages in liver and heart along with conspicuous thickening of CAM in chicken embryos. Results of antibiotic susceptibility testing of all Listerial isolates further revealed that most of isolates were multidrug resistance to antibiotics. The present work revealed that the raw chicken meat may act as an important source of Listeria for human being. The presence of multiple drug resistance among Listeria spp. isolates provides a evidence of the emergence of multi drug resistant Listeria strains, pointing to an increase in the potential threat to human health