SOME SPECIFIC MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA spp. IN RETAIL CHICKEN MEAT FROM ERZURUM PROVINCE, TURKEY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF ISOLATES

Specific microbiological parameters and the presence of Salmonella spp. were investigated in 72 chicken meat samples (36 wings and 36 drumsticks) collected from markets and butcher shops. The specific microbiological parameters were determined using a conventional cultural method and the presence of Salmonella spp. in chicken samples was determined using conventional and immunomagnetic separation (IMS)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. In addition, antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was revealed using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The results indicated that 30 of the 72 samples were positive for Salmonella spp. by the conventional method, and 42 of the 72 were positive by the IMS-PCR method. However, 30 of the 72 samples were positive for Salmonella spp. by both methods. The Salmonella spp. isolates were confirmed by the VITEK2 Compact System and PCR. The susceptibilities of the isolates against 10 antibiotics were determined. The results indicated that isolates (27/30) showed the highest susceptibility to gentamycin (90.00%), while the highest resistance was to nalidixic acid and tetracycline at the 100 and 93.34% levels, respectively. These results indicate a high prevalence of Salmonella spp. in poultry meat from Erzurum city, Turkey, and the antimicrobial resistance profile of these isolates should be considered for public health. The results also show that the IMS-PCR technique was superior to the conventional method for detecting Salmonella in poultry meat.