Occurrence of Salmonella spp. in Raw Chicken and Immediate Slaughter Environments from Unorganised Poultry Houses in Kashmir, India
Iyman Binti Fayaz
Division of Veterinary Public Health, FVSc & AH, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar-190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Mohammad Mateen Zehgeer
Central Animal House Facility, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, India.
Syed Akram Hussain
Division of Veterinary Public Health, FVSc & AH, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shuhama, Alusteng, Srinagar-190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Qazi Shehriyar Sahib *
Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science, SriGanganagar Veterinary College, Tantia University, SriGanganagar-335001, Rajasthan, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Salmonella is an important foodborne zoonotic pathogen associated with poultry meat and slaughtering environments. The present study determined the occurrence of Salmonella spp. in raw chicken and immediate slaughter environments from unorganised poultry houses in Kashmir, India. A total of 210 samples were collected over a one-year period from poultry meat and slaughter-associated environmental sources, including sticking area swabs, cage swabs, poultry meat, chopping board swabs, weighing pan swabs, slaughtering and dressing knife swabs, and butcher-hand swabs. Samples were processed using standard bacteriological procedures involving pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, and plating on selective media. Presumptive isolates were identified by cultural characteristics, Gram staining, biochemical tests, and molecular confirmation by polymerase chain reaction targeting Salmonella-specific 16S rRNA and invA genes. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the association between sample source and Salmonella occurrence. Salmonella spp. were detected in 9 of 210 samples, giving an overall occurrence of 4.28%. The highest occurrence was recorded in cage and chopping board samples (2/25 each), followed by poultry meat (3/60). Sticking area and slaughtering and dressing knife samples each had 1 positive sample out of 25, whereas no Salmonella was detected from weighing pans or butcher-hand swabs. The association between sample source and Salmonella occurrence was not statistically significant. Detection of the invA gene in all confirmed isolates indicated the presence of potentially invasive Salmonella strains. The findings indicate a low but relevant level of Salmonella contamination in unorganised poultry slaughter settings and emphasise the need for improved hygiene and regular monitoring.
Keywords: Foodborne disease, poultry meat, Salmonella, slaughtering environments, zoonosis.