VETERINARSKI ARHIV 68 (5), 173-176, 1998

ISSN 0372-5480
Printed in Croatia





Salmonella enteritidis in imported poultry meat in Albania

Altin Telo1*, Elvira Beli1, Azmi Dibra2, and Edmond Panariti1

1Institute of Veterinary Research, Tirana, Albania

2Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania





* Contact address:
Altin Telo,
Department of Food control,
Institute of Veterinary Research, Tirana 10, Albania,
Phone/Fax: 355 42 63 538


TELO, A., E. BELI, A. DIBRA, E. PANARITI: Salmonella enteritidis in imported poultry meat in Albania. Vet. arhiv 68, 173-176, 1998.

ABSTRACT

Eighty samples of imported poultry meat were investigated for the presence of Salmonella strains during the first quarter of 1997. Salmonella spp. were detected in 10 out of 80 poultry meat samples (12.5%) submitted for analysis. Isolated strains were biochemically identified using the API 20 E system. Further serotyping of isolated strains was performed with Salmonella monovalent antisera. Salmonella enteritidis was the most frequent strain encountered (3 out of 9 serotyped strains).

Keywords: Salmonella sp., poultry meat, biochemical identification, Albania



Introduction

In compliance with existing legislative acts, the Veterinary Inspection Service (V. I. S.) of Albania has responsibilities for exerting controls regarding the safety of food products of animal origin. In view of recent outbreaks of Salmonella infections in humans, suspected of being related to the consumption of salmonella-contaminated products, a survey was carried out for the detection of Salmonella strains in poultry meat. Special attention was paid to poultry meat because it has been an important source of food-borne intoxications in the last decade. (BEAN and GRIFFIN 1990, BUROW, 1992)

Materials and methods

Sampling

Poultry meat samples submitted for bacteriological analysis were taken by the V. I. S. at Tirana Customs. They were taken according to established procedures regarding sterility and were sealed in appropriate sterile plastic bags. They were transported under cooling conditions (4-6 oC) and were immediately processed and submitted for bacteriological investigation. A sample of 25 g of skinless poultry meat was taken from the breast and thigh region and was submitted for analysis.

Bacteriological examinations

To 25 g of the prepared and processed samples we added 225 ml of preenrichment Lactose Broth (according Oxoid formulation CM137). The samples were subsequently homogenised in a horizontal mixer, type Stomacher 400 for 2 minutes and homogenates were incubated at 37 oC for 24 hours. Afterwards, aliquots of 5 ml were transferred into flasks containing 45 ml Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth (Oxoid CM669) and Müller-Kauffmann broth (Oxoid CM 343) and were incubated for 24 hours at 42 oC and 37 oC, respectively. Following incubation the broths were streaked onto DC agar plates (Oxoid CM227), Endo agar plates (Oxoid CM479) or SS agar plates (Oxoid CM99), using two different agar plates simultaneously. The plates were incubated at 37 oC for 24 hours. Suspected Salmonella colonies were transferred into Kligler agar tubes (Oxoid CM33) through stabbing the butt and streaking the slope, incubating the tubes for 24 hours at 37 oC.

Material from the tubes that showed reactions similar to those shown by members of the genus Salmonella was tested with polyvalent somatic Salmonella antiserum (produced in the Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania). The strains that reacted positively were biochemically identified by the API 20 E system. Serotyping of the Salmonella strains was performed at the Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.

Results

During the first 3 months of 1997, eighty imported poultry meat samples, representing 1 lot each, were analysed for the presence of Salmonella strains. In 10 out of 80 poultry meat and related product samples (7 chicken meat samples, 2 turkey meat samples, 1 turkey liver sample) Salmonella spp. were detected. Serotyping of the Salmonella strains was performed on 8 out of 10 positive cases. In two cases (both chicken meat), two different strains (biochemically different reactions in both cases and a serotypical different reaction in one case) were detected in the same analytical sample.

Table 1 presents data regarding the type and origin of poultry product, biochemical identification, serotype and serogroup of the isolated strains.

As indicated in Table 1, the strain most frequently encountered was Salmonella enteritidis (33.3%) (3 out of 9 serotyped strains). However, other strains were also present. The most frequently encountered serological Salmonella group was group B (44.4%) (4 out of 9 serotyped strains).

Discussion

Members of the genus Salmonella still occupy first place as causative agents of food-borne diseases (SCHMIDT, 1998). Consumption of contaminated poultry meat has frequently been implicated in outbreaks of human salmonellosis. For these reasons the presence of Salmonella strains in poultry meat is of great concern to the poultry industry, as well as to institutions involved in food hygiene and health protection of consumers, in order to prevent possible food-borne outbreaks among the population.

Table 1. Data on type and origin of Salmonella-contaminated poultry products, biochemical identification, serotype and serogroup of Salmonella isolated strains.

No.

Type of polutry product *

Origin

Biochemical id. API 20 E

Serotype

Serogroup

1.

Chicken meat

USA

6 704 752

not serotyped

unknown

2.

Chicken meat

Hungary

6 704 552

not serotyped

unknown

     

6 304 552

not serotyped

unknown

3.

Chicken meat

Hungary

6 704 552

S. enteritidis

group D

4.

Chicken meat

Bulgaria

6 704 552

S. senftenberg

group E

     

6 704 752

Salm. group B

group B

5.

Chicken meat

USA

6 304 752

Salm. group C

group C

6.

Minced and pressed chicken meat

Italy

6 704 752

Salm. group B

group B

7.

Turkey liver

Italy

6 704 712

S. saintpaul

group B

8.

Turkey meat

Italy

6 704 552

S. enteritidis

group D

9.

Turkey meat

Italy

6 704 752

S. agona

group B

10.

Chicken meat

Hungary

6 704 552

S. enteritidis

group D

* each poultry product sample represented 1 imported poultry product lot

In general, our results regarding the presence of Salmonella strains in poultry products were supported by other reports (ZAVANELLA et al., 1990; BUROW, 1992; PLUMMER et al., 1995). The serotyped strains have been frequently detected in poultry products. Our data were compatible to available epidemiological data from countries where the Salmonella contaminated products originated (ANONYMOUS 1995a, 1995b, 1995c).

As reported by the Albanian Ministry of Health during 1990-1991 (ANONYMOUS 1995a) five food-borne outbreaks occurred in the country, of which three cases were caused by Salmonella strains. One out of three Salmonella outbreaks was linked to the consumption of contaminated imported chicken meat; the causative agent belonged to Salmonella group C.

In 1990, 1991 and 1992, 14, 13 and 17 Salmonella outbreaks were reported in Bulgaria respectively. Salmonella enteritidis was the causative agent most frequently detected, with 7, 8 and 14 cases respectively (ANONYMOUS 1995b).

During the same period, 140, 110 and 113 salmonella outbreaks were reported in Hungary. Eighty percent in 1991 and 78% in 1992 of all Salmonella outbreaks were caused by Salmonella enteritidis (ANONYMOUS 1995c).

Two hundred food-borne outbreaks of salmonellosis were reported in the USA during the period 1977-1984. Fifty-eight out of 200 salmonellosis outbreaks (26.3%) occurred due to consumption of poultry meat and poultry products (BRYAN, 1988).

As it is the most frequently encountered strain, (Salmonella enteritidis is highly pathogenic in humans) the collected data should alert sanitary authorities to its eventual impact on human health.


Acknowledgement
Special thanks go to Mrs. Elida Shehu and Mariuca Heba for excellent technical assistance.


References

Anonymous (1995a): WHO Surveillance Programme for Control of Foodborne Infections and Intoxications in Europe. Sixth Report 1990-1992, 15-17.

Anonymous (1995b): WHO Surveillance Programme for Control of Foodborne Infections and Intoxications in Europe. Sixth Report 1990-1992, 32-38.

Anonymous (1995c): WHO Surveillance Programme for Control of Foodborne Infections and Intoxications in Europe. Sixth Report 1990-1992, 109-118.

Bean N. H., P. M. Griffin (1990): Foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States 1973-1987. Pathogens, vehicles and trends. J. Food Prot. 53, 804-817.

Bryan, F. L. (1988): Risks associated with vehicles of foodborne pathogens. J. Food Prot. 51, 498-508.

Burow, H. (1992): Dominanz von S. Enteritidis bei Isolierungen aus Lebensmittel tierischer Herkunft in Nordbayern. Fleischwirt. 72, 1045-1050.

Plummer, R. A. S., S. J. Blisett, C. E. R. Dodd (1995): Salmonella contamination of retail chicken products sold in United Kingdom. J. Food Prot. 58, 843-846.

Schmidt, K. (1998): Situation of foodborne diseases in Europe, 1992-1996. Abstracts of the 4th World Congress Foodborne Infections and Intoxications. Berlin, Germany. p. 65.

Zavanella, M., A. Ansuini, M. Boldini (1990): Salmonella enteritidis nei polli. Selezione Veterinaria 31, 1429-1433.

Received: 12 August 1997
Accepted: 8 September 1998



TELO, A., E. BELI, A. DIBRA, E. PANARITI: Salmonella enteritidis u mesu peradi uvezenom u Albaniju. Vet. arhiv 68, 173-176, 1998.

SAZETAK

Tijekom prve cetvrtine 1997. godine pregledano je na prisutnost sojeva salmonela 80 uzoraka mesa peradi uvezenog u Albaniju. Salmonella spp. je utvrdena u 10 od 80 analiziranih uzoraka (12,5%). Izolirani sojevi su biokemijski identificirani po API 20 sustavu. Daljnja serotipizacija provedena je pomocu monovalentnih antiseruma za salmonele. Najcesce ustanovljeni serovar bila je Salmonella enteritidis (3 od 9 seropozitivnih sojeva).

Kljucne rijeci: Salmonella sp., meso peradi, biokemijska identifikacija, Albanija


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