ISOLATION AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILING OF SHIGELLA-SPECIES FROM POULTRY MEAT

Background: Food-borne bacterial pathogens remain a significant public health concern globally, particularly in developing regions where meat handling and hygiene practices are often substandard. Poultry meat is a well-recognized reservoir for enteric pathogens such as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, E. coli, and Shigella spp. Of particular concern is Shigella, a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, unencapsulated bacterium from the Enterobacteriaceae family, known for its resistance to multiple antibiotics and its association with severe gastrointestinal infections. Objective: This study aimed to isolate Shigella spp. from poultry meat and evaluate their antibiotic resistance profiles in the Hazara region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods: A total of 50 raw chicken meat samples were collected from butcher shops in Haripur between October 2021 and May 2022. Samples were processed in the microbiology laboratory at the University of Haripur. Isolation and identification of Shigella spp. were performed using MacConkey and Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar, Gram staining, and a series of biochemical tests including citrate utilization, oxidase, and triple sugar iron (TSI) tests. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton Agar with six antibiotics: azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, cefotriaxone, gentamicin, and tobramycin. Results: Shigella spp. were isolated in 15 out of 50 samples, indicating a 30% prevalence. High resistance was observed against cefotriaxone (86%), levofloxacin (80%), ciprofloxacin (73%), and azithromycin (60%). Moderate resistance was noted for tobramycin (26.6%), while gentamicin showed the lowest resistance (13.3%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Shigella spp. in poultry meat highlights the urgent need for routine surveillance, stricter food safety practices, and rational use of antibiotics in food animals to mitigate public health risks.