Salmonella in Nile Tilapia, Mullet, and Catfish, Molecular and Antimicrobial Profiles, Along with A Reduction Trial Utilizing Acetic and Ascorbic Acids

The purpose of this study is to identify prevalence, serotypes, virulence-associated genes, and the antimicrobial profile of Salmonella spp. in catfish, tilapia, and mullet fish sold in El-Beheira governorate, Egypt. An additional innovation in Salmonella growth control was the use of acetic acid and ascorbic acid. The present investigation's findings showed that 20% of the mullet, 35% of the catfish, and 20% of the Nile tilapia tested samples were positive for Salmonella spp. Additionally, the inva gene was present in 100% of the isolates, hila in 85.71%, and stn in 57.14% of the isolates, according to the PCR results. Multidrug resistance profiling was clearly seen in the recovered Salmonella isolates. Reductions of 30.4%, 54.3%, 21.7%, and 39.1% in Salmonella spp. were seen in Oreochromis niloticus samples after using acetic acid 1% and 2% and ascorbic acid 1% and 2%, respectively, due to their substantial inhibitory effects. The results show that Egyptian fishers do not take enough precautions to ensure their hands are clean when working with fish. Thus, it is advised to adhere to stringent hygiene protocols when fishing, processing, and distributing seafood in Egypt.