SCREENING FOR THE EXTENDED SPECTRUM BETA LACTAMASES AMONG SALMONELLA SPP. ISOLATED FROM BROILER CHICKEN IN EGYPT.

The intestinal carriage of Salmonella producing extended spectrum beta ? lactamase (ESBL) in broilers may help to contaminate retail meat and thus participate in the presence of these bacteria in humans. The study aimed to investigate Salmonella contamination in 115 breast meat samples from diseased broiler chickens at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. A total 46 isolates of Salmonella spp. were phenotypically identified. Furthermore, the isolates were screened for ESBL production and revealed 11 (23.9%) isolates were grown on MacConkey agar supplemented by cefotaxime 1 mg⁄ L, and from, only 54.4% isolates were positive with double disc synergy test using different 3rd generation cephalosporins. Also, The ESBL producing isolates were serotyped, where the predominant serotypes were Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis (36.4%, each), then, these isolates were the screening for lactamase gene showed that only 5 isolates harbored blaTEM. The current study recommends strict restrictions on using cephalosporins agents in medical and veterinary sectors with a continuous monitoring of ESBL producing bacteria in the broiler farms. Also, further investigations are needed for the detection of various mechanisms for cephalosporinsresistance.