BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND INCIDENCE OF SALMONELLA SPECIES FROM RAW AND FERMENTED MILK IN FIKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND INCIDENCE OF SALMONELLA SPECIES FROM RAW AND FERMENTED MILK IN FIKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract:

Salmonellosis is one of the most important food borne diseases worldwide, transmitted through a wide range of animal products including milk and milk products. An investigation was conducted to determine the bacteriological quality, prevalence and antibiogram of Salmonella species from raw and fermented cow milk. A total of 344 samples were collected from three selected major markets and Fulani herdsmen settlements in Fika local government area, comprising of 167 raw milk and 177 fermented milk samples respectively. The samples were analyzed for total aerobic plate count (TAPC). Isolation and characterization of Salmonella was done using cultural, conventional biochemical tests and Microbact 24E, after which antibiotic susceptibility of each isolate was determined by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Salmonella isolates were screened for invA virulence gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The TAPC of both raw and fermented milk ranged between 5.1 log10 CFU/ml to 7.4 log 10 CFU/ml, with mean and standard deviation of 5.82±2.06 log 10 CFU/ml and 6.62±1.10 log 10 CFU/ml respectively. Overall Salmonella prevalence of 1.7% was obtained from the samples; of which higher prevalence of 2.3% was obtained from raw milk samples while fermented milk had 1.1%. All of the isolates were susceptible to enrofloxacin and Gentamycin (100%) while none of the isolates was susceptible to Amoxycillin Clavulinic acid, Cefotaxime, ticarcillin and Chloramphenicol. Salmonella isolates were also susceptible to Imipenem (83.4%), Ciprofloxacin (83.4) and Sulfamethoxazole (50%). All the isolates of Salmonella exhibited varying resistance pattern, they were resistant to at least five antimicrobial agents tested, while one isolate was resistant to nine antimicrobial agents. Three isolates (two from raw milk and one from fermented milk) were positive for invA gene. The study has established high Total Aerobic Plate Counts with minimum counts exceeding the acceptable limit of 5.7 Log10 CFU/ml and the occurrence of multidrug resistant Salmonella species in fresh and fermented milk samples. Therefore, adequate hygiene should be maintained at milking points and markets.

BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND INCIDENCE OF SALMONELLA SPECIES FROM RAW AND FERMENTED MILK IN FIKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA YOBE STATE, NIGERIA