Prevalence, Virulence Characeristics, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Salmonella spp. in Retail Chicken Meats in Çanakkale, Türkiye

<span style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Poppins; font-size: 14px;">This study investigated the microbiological quality of raw chicken meats retailed in Çanakkale province, Türkiye, focusing on the presence of Salmonella spp., their virulence properties, and antibiotic susceptibility profiles. A total of 90 chicken meat samples (30 breast, 30 wing, 30 thigh) were collected between November 2022 and April 2023. While general hygiene indicator microorganisms (Total Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria, Total Aerobic Psychrophilic Bacteria, yeast-mold, total coliform, fecal coliform, and fecal enterococci) were within acceptable limits, their high counts indicated sanitation issues during production stages. Ten Salmonella spp. isolates were identified, with 80% being S. arizonae serotype. These isolates demonstrated significant virulence, exhibiting high DNase (90%) and protease (90%) activities, strong biofilm-forming capacities (40% excellent, 30% very good, 30% good), and notable antibiotic resistance profiles. All isolates showed a Multi-Drug Resistance index greater than 0.2, suggesting intensive antibiotic use in poultry production. These findings highlight significant public health risks associated with chicken meat production and consumption processes, particularly concerning the spread of virulent and antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains.</span>