WITHDRAWN: Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Salmonella in Selected Export Abattoirs, East Shewa, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Salmonella is one of the major causes of zoonotic foodborne pathogens in the world, with increasing concern for the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant strains. In Ethiopia, the burden of Salmonella is still scarce in abattoirs. Objectives To determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salmonella in selected export abattoirs, East Shewa, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to October 2020. A total of 345 samples were systematically included and out of which 150 carcass swabs (100 from goats and 50 from sheep carcass), 60 goat skin swabs, 60 knife swabs, and 75 human stool samples. The isolates were identified and characterized following standard bacteriological procedures and further confirmed by using Salmonella genus-specific primer by polymerase chain reaction. The isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility for 14 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Data were entered and analyzed using STATA version 14. Fisher’s exact test was used to assess significant differences among the abattoirs and type of samples. P-value < 0.05 was considered as indicative of a statistical significance difference. Results Out of 345 total samples, 21(6.08%) were positive for Salmonella. The specific prevalence of Salmonella in carcass, skin, and knife swabs were 10(6.67%), 7(11.67%), and 4(6.67%) respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the occurrence of Salmonella among export abattoirs, and types of samples (P > 0.05). Salmonella was not isolated from sheep carcass and human stool samples. Among the 21 molecular confirmed Salmonella isolates, 7(33.3%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent and 2(9.04%) of isolates were resistant to two antibiotics, tetracycline, and streptomycin. All the isolates were 100% susceptible to kanamycin, chloramphenicol, cephalothin, gentamycin, and ceftriaxone. Conclusion Samples harbored Salmonella have significant public health impacts and hinder export performance. Thus, hygienic standards throughout the food chain process, surveillance systems, and one health approach are essential methods to minimize risks associated with the consumption of contaminated carcasses. Surveillance programs of antimicrobial usage in animals and animal products are important to ensure consumer safety.