Prevalence, serotypes and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella enterica isolated from quail carcasses and quail meat preparations

Aim of this work was to determine prevalence, serotypes and phage types of Salmonella in quail carcasses and quail meat preparations. Moreover, antimicrobial resistance profiles were investigated. From slaughtered quails these samples were collected and analysed: neck skin of eight quails, immediately after slaughtering; skin and meat of the breast region of 54 quails previously cut, seasoned with olive oil, stoned green olive, sliced bacon and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), placed in trays and packaged in air. Samples were analyzed for the presence of S. enterica (ISO 6579/2002) and the isolates serotyped and phage‐typed. Isolates were investigated for antibiotic susceptibility by disk diffusion technique. Antimicrobials tested were: ampicillin (A), amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid (Amc), cefotaxime (Ctx), ciprofloxacin (Cip), cephalotin (Cf), ceftazidime (Caz), colistin (Col), chloramphenicol (C), enrofloxacin (En), gentamicin (Cm), kanamycin (K), nalidixic acid (Nx), streptomycin (S), trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (Sxt), sulphonamide (Su) and tetracycline (T). Prevalence of S. enterica was 44% and was detected in 5 out of 8 quails analyzed after slaughtering (62.5%). As regard to quail meat preparations, Salmonella was detected in 28/54 skin samples (52%) and in 18/54 muscle samples (33.3%). 20 isolates were serotyped and identified as monophasic S. Typhimurium (55%), S. Kentucky (40%) and S. Typhimurium monophasic variant (5%). Phage typing of monophasic S. Typhimurium isolates resulted into three different phage types: DT7a, U311, DT20a. All strains were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. One S. Typhimurium showed resistance to one antimicrobial (S) and one monophasic S. Typhimurium to two antimicrobials (A and Amc). The most common resistances were to A, Amc and Sxt, followed by S, Su and Nx. Between S. Typhimurium monophasic variant, six resistant patterns were identified with the prevalent resistances being to AAmc, followed by S and Su. Among S. Kentucky serovars, five resistance patterns were identified, the most common were CipCmEnNx and CipEnNx.