Prevalence, Antibiotic Resistance and Molecular Profiling of E. coli and Salmonella Spp. in Poultry Meat and its Products from Minia, Egypt

This study examines the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characterization of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in poultry meat and products in Minia, Egypt. E. coli was detected in 73% of samples, with the highest rates in drumstick chicken (100%), chicken fillet (90%), and deboned drumstick (83.33%), while absent in chicken luncheon. Salmonella prevalence was 35%, highest in chicken fillet (70%) and deboned drumstick (66.67%), with no isolates in chicken luncheon. Regional variations were noted, with E. coli highest in raw meat from El Idwa (88.24%) and Maghagha (84.62%), whereas processed products showed reduced contamination. Salmonella was most prevalent in Maghagha (61.54%) and El Idwa (55.88%), lowest in Abu Qurqas (16.13%). Antimicrobial testing revealed high resistance in E. coli to metronidazole (100%), trimethoprim-sulfonamide (50%), and amoxicillin (35%), with susceptibility to ceftriaxone (80%) and enrofloxacin (100%). Salmonella showed resistance to metronidazole (85%), trimethoprim-sulfonamide (70–85%), and amoxicillin (50%), while enrofloxacin (100%) and ciprofloxacin (75–80%) remained effective. Molecular analysis found fimH and eaeA in all E. coli isolates, with Stx2 (40%) and BlaCTX-M (40%) detected at lower rates. Salmonella universally harbored invA, hilA, and sopB, while stn (80%) and BlaCTX-M (80%) were also prevalent. These results highlight significant poultry contamination, underscoring the need for stringent microbiological surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship.