Molecular Detection and Serotyping of Salmonella in Poultry and Poultry Products in Anambra State: Implications for Food Safety

This study provides a comprehensive molecular epidemiological analysis of Salmonella in poultry and poultry products in Anambra State, located in Nigeria's South East geopolitical zone, with emphasis on serotyping and antimicrobial resistance characterisation for food safety risk assessment. Salmonella is a leading cause of food-borne illness globally, and poultry products are the primary transmission vehicle, yet serotype-level data for Salmonella in poultry from South East Nigeria are absent from the literature. Using a cross-sectional design, samples were collected from 200 live broiler chickens, 150 dressed chicken carcasses from retail markets, and 120 table eggs from farms and markets across four local government areas in Anambra State. Salmonella isolation was performed by ISO 6579 method. Serotyping was conducted using the Kauffmann-White scheme. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing covered 15 antibiotic agents by disc diffusion. Virulence genes including invA, spiC, sipB, and avrA were detected by multiplex PCR. The study fills the gap in serotype-specific data for Salmonella in Anambra State poultry products. Findings revealed Salmonella in 27 percent of live birds and 35 percent of dressed carcasses. Salmonella Kentucky was the predominant serotype (31%) followed by S. Enteritidis (22%) and S. Typhimurium (19%). Multidrug resistance was detected in 61 percent of isolates, with quinolone resistance in 24 percent. The study recommends HACCP implementation in poultry processing, market hygiene improvements, and integration of Salmonella serotyping into food safety surveillance. Keywords: Salmonella, serotyping, poultry, food safety, Anambra State.