Prevalence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance Profiling of Poultry-Associated Salmonella Isolates from Four Distinct Geographical Zones of West Bengal, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/aabr.32026.3.2.03Keywords:
Salmonella; antimicrobial resistance; gyrA QRDR; fluoroquinolone resistance; qnrS; sul1; biofilm; multidrug resistance; West Bengal; One HealthAbstract
Salmonella contamination of poultry is a critical food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) concern at the human–animal–environment interface. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence, serovar distribution, multidrug resistance (MDR) profiles, genotypic resistance determinants, and biofilm-forming capacity from commercial slaughter poultry across four zones of West Bengal, India. A total of 300 biological samples (faecal, caecal, meat; 25 per sample type per zone) were collected from 20 slaughterhouses across Burdwan, Midnapore, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas. Culture-based prevalence was 32.67% (98/300; 95% CI: 27.6–38.2%); significant zone-wise heterogeneity was observed (χ² = 13.64, df = 3, p = 0.003), with Nadia recording the highest prevalence (46.67%). No significant sample-type effect was detected (p = 0.192), consistent with systemic gut-to-carcass contamination. Of 98 culture-positive isolates, 37 were invA confirmed by PCR. Serovar distribution was: Salmonella Typhimurium (21.6%), Salmonella Enteritidis (24.3%), and untypable (54.1%). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed universal resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate and doxycycline; co-trimoxazole resistance was 86.5%, neomycin 75.7%, levofloxacin 43.2%, and enrofloxacin 40.5%; MDR was present in 91.9% (34/37). Sanger sequencing of gyrA QRDR from 20 field isolates confirmed Asp87Tyr (n = 1) and Ser83Leu (n = 2); qnrS and sul1 were identified in 5 and 3 isolates, respectively. Biofilm formation was present in 92% (strong 21.6%, moderate 51.4%, weak 16.2%; Kruskal–Wallis p = 0.518). These findings reveal an alarming convergence of high Salmonella prevalence, MDR, and WHO-critically important antimicrobial resistance in West Bengal slaughter poultry, with direct implications for food safety and One Health AMR surveillance.
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