<i>Salmonella</i> spp. and <i>Campylobacter</i> spp. in poultry feces and carcasses in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Abstract

The importance of <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Campylobacter</i> as foodborne pathogens is well recognized worldwide. Poultry and poultry products are commonly considered as the major vehicles of <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Campylobacter</i> infection in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the hygienic status of poultry facilities and determine the prevalence of <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Campylobacter</i> in slaughtered poultry feces and carcasses in four different markets in Ouagadougou, capital city of Burkina Faso. A total of 103 poultry feces and 20 carcasses were analyzed using microbiological standard methods. Among the 103 fecal samples, 70 were positive for <i>Campylobacter</i> ssp (67.96%) and 54 for <i>Salmonella</i> ssp (52.42%). The hippurate hydrolysis test revealed that among the 70 <i>Campylobacter</i> strains isolated from feces, 49 were <i>C. jejuni</i> (70%) and 21 were <i>C. coli</i> (30%). From the 20 carcasses analyzed, 18 were contaminated with <i>Salmonella</i> (90%) and 10 with <i>Campylobacter</i> ssp (50%). Among the 10 <i>Campylobacter</i> ssp samples isolated from poultry carcasses, all were identified as <i>C</i>. <i>jejuni</i> using the API CAMPY system and the hippurate hydrolysis test. The assessment of markets hygienic practices for production, transportation, display, and vending of meat revealed unhygienic conditions. To complete the observation of unhygienic practices, we have sampled chicken-washing solution from the study sites and microbiological analysis of these samples revealed the presence of <i>Salmonella</i> spp in 100% of the samples. This study highlighted that poultry products on sale in Ouagadougou are highly contaminated with <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Campylobacter</i>. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing <i>Campylobacter</i> presence in the poultry industry of Burkina Faso. Our findings might help to better understand the epidemiology of <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Campylobacte</i>r.