Isolation and characterization of Salmonella enterica in day-old ducklings in Egypt.

Importing day-old ducklings (DOD) unknowingly infected with non-typhoid Salmonella (NTS) may be associated with disease risk. Domestic and international trade may enhance this risk. Salmonella enterica serovars, their virulence genes combinations and antibiotic resistance, garner attention for their potentiality to contribute to the adverse health effects on populations throughout the world. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of imported versus domestic DOD as potential carriers of NTS. The results confirm the prevalence of salmonellosis in imported ducklings was 18·5% (25/135), whereas only 12% (9/75) of cases were determined in the domestic ducklings. Fourteen serovars (Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella kisii, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella gaillac, Salmonella uno, Salmonella eingedi, Salmonella shubra, Salmonella bardo, Salmonella inganda, Salmonella kentucky, Salmonella stanley, Salmonella virchow, Salmonella haifa, and Salmonella anatum) were isolated from the imported ducklings, whereas only S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium, S. virchow, and S. shubra were isolated from the domestic ducklings. The isolated Salmonella serovars were 100% susceptible to only colistin sulphate and 100% resistant to lincomycin. The 14 Salmonella serovars were screened for 11 virulence genes (invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, gipA, sodC1, sopE1, spvC, and bcfC) by PCR. The invA, sopB, and bcfC genes were detected in 100% of the Salmonella serovars; alternatively, the gipA gene was absent in all of the isolated Salmonella serovars. The 11 virulent genes were not detected in either of S. stanley or S. haifa serovars. The results confirm an association between antibiotic resistance and virulence of Salmonella in the DOD. This study confirms the need for a country adherence to strict public health and food safety regimes.

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence-associated genes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotypes Muenster, Florian, Omuna, and Noya strains isolated from clinically diarrheic humans in Egypt.

Four serotypes recovered from clinically diarrheic human faecal samples (Salmonella Muenster, Salmonella Florian, Salmonella Omuna and Salmonella Noya) were investigated for the presence of 11 virulence genes (invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, gipA, sodC1, sopE1, spvC, and bcfC) and their association with antibiotic resistance. The 4 Salmonella serotypes lacked virulence genes gipA and spvC. Resistance to 7 of the 14 antimicrobials was detected. The frequency of resistance, to lincomycin and streptomycin (100% of the Salmonella Muenster [2/5], Salmonella Florian [1/5], Salmonella Omuna [1/5], and Salmonella Noya [1/5] isolates), chloramphenicol (100% of the Salmonella Muenster [2/5] and Salmonella Florian [1/5] isolates) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100% of the Salmonella Florian [1/5] and Salmonella Omuna [1/5] isolates) was an outstanding feature. With the rest of the antibiotics, the four Salmonella serotypes exhibited a great diversity in their resistance patterns. Overall, the four Salmonella serotypes were resistant to more than one antimicrobial. The antimicrobials to which the Salmonella Muenster, Salmonella Florian, and Salmonella Omuna isolates were resistant, contributed to five different antimicrobial resistance profiles. The virulence associated genes invA, ssaQ, siiD, sopB, and bcfC genes were 100% associated with certain antimicrobial resistance phenotypes (streptomycin and lincosamide) not recorded previously, and secondly, the presence of invA, avrA, ssaQ, mgtC, siiD, sopB, and bcfC was associated with resistance to chloramphenicol. The results of this study will help in understanding the spread of virulence genotypes and antibiotic resistance in Salmonella in the region of study.