Abstract
Despite the wide availability of poultry farms in Addis Ababa, limited information is available on the status of Salmonella in poultry eggs from both farms and retail stores, as well as the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, associated risk factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella in raw chicken eggs and stool samples from humans in contact with poultry in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2022 to July 2023. A multistage sampling technique was used to collect 392 pooled egg samples (two eggs per sample) and 48 stool samples from humans in contact with poultry, across 55 farms and 44 retail shops. Standard bacteriological methods were employed to isolate and identify Salmonella, and presumptive isolates were confirmed by PCR. The susceptibility of the isolates to 12 antimicrobials was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The overall prevalence of Salmonella in eggs was 7.1% (28/392), with the highest prevalence observed in egg shells 21.4% (21/196). Most Salmonella isolates were recovered from eggs sampled at farms 8.2% (16/196). No Salmonella was detected in stool samples from humans in contact with poultry. Farms that did not clean dirty eggs, those with poor handwashing practices before handling eggs, or that did not separate cracked eggs were significantly associated with Salmonella positivity (p < 0.05). Among the 28 Salmonella isolates, 53.6% (15/28) and 46.6% (13/28) were resistant to streptomycin and tetracycline, respectively, and multidrug resistance to 3 or more antimicrobials was recorded in 8 (28.6%) of Salmonella isolates. The presence of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella in chicken eggs is indicative of a significant public health concern. Raising public awareness about antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella and implementing appropriate food safety measures are essential to reduce the risk of zoonotic salmonellosis.