This study aimed at updating knowledge on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of Salmonella isolated from poultry in the province of N'Djamena, Chad. The results collected during this study provide the first baseline data on the prevalence of contamination by Salmonella in laying hens and broiler chicken farms in N'Djamena. All samples were collected from sixteen poultry farms over two periods of six months each: from August 2010 to January 2011 and from September 2011 to February 2012. Diagnostic methods used during this study allowed to isolate eighty four Salmonella strains, belonging to twenty seven different serotypes. The most frequent serotypes were Salmonella Colindale (19%) followed by S. Minnesota (18%) S. Havana and S. Riggil (each 6%), S. Kottbus and S. Amager (4.7%), S. Idikan, Mississipi, and Muenchen (3.6%). Other serotypes were poorly represented. The majority of these serotypes were susceptible to all antibiotics tested (CLSI Standards), except some S. Colindale isolates that exhibited a decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones, S. Limete resistant to three antibiotics and S. Minnesota isolates resistant to five different antimicrobial classes. The different serotypes and antibiotic resistance profiles that were observed highlight the substantial diversity of Salmonella in Chad, the contribution of avian isolates to human salmonellosis and Salmonella's capacity to colonize all types of environment worldwide.
Keywords: Chad; Poultry farms; Prevalence and antibiotic resistance; Salmonella.
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