STUDIES ON INCIDENCE AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF SALMONELLA SEROVARS ISOLATED FROM RAW PORK IN AIZAWL AND IMPHAL, INDIA

The study was conducted to determine the incidence, serotypes and antimicrobial resistance profile of Salmonella serovars isolated from raw pork of Aizawl and Imphal, India. A total of 200 raw pork samples (100 from Aizawl and Imphal each) were collected from unorganized butcher shops and subjected for isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. which phenotypically detected 5 Salmonella isolates. The Salmonella isolates were further confirmed genotypically by 16S rRNA genus specific PCR and recorded the incidence rate of 2.50%. Serotyping of the isolates revealed that all the three isolates from Imphal were Salmonella enterica serovar Virchow whereas the two isolates of Aizawl were Salmonella enterica serovar Virchow and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, one each. The antimicrobial sensitivity profile against 16 antimicrobials revealed that amikacin, imipenem, ofloxacine, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin were 100% sensitive and among the resistant antimicrobials, highest resistance was recorded against ceftriaxone (80.00%) followed by amoxyclav and cotrimoxazole (60.00% each). Presence of Salmonella Typhimurium from raw pork is a matter of concern from hygiene and sanitation. Moreover, the antimicrobial resistance profile showed increasing resistance against cephalosporin, amino-penicillin and amino glycosides.