Fecal Carriage, Risk Factors, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Salmonella from Lactating Cows and Contact Humans at Dairy Farms Level in Mekelle and Southeast Zones of Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia
1
Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Health Sciences; Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) affects all ages in all regions, especially in low- and middle-income countries. AMR impacts human and animal health, food production and the environment. This study aimed to determine the fecal carriage, antimicrobial susceptibility, and associated factors of Salmonella from lactating cows and contact humans in Mekelle and the Southeastern Zones of Tigrai, Ethiopia.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2025. Overall, 199 contact human stool and 199 lactating cow feces were included. Risk factors were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire, followed by the collection of feces and stool samples. Pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, selective media, and a series of biochemical tests were used to identify and isolate Salmonella. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23 was used to analyze the data. Chi-square test was used to determine the strength of risk factors associated with Salmonella.
RESULTS:
Salmonella was isolated from 1% (2/199) of human stool and 2% (4/199) of cows’ feces. Salmonella isolates showed statistically significant associations with cleaning of cow feces using bare hands (X2:4.44; p-Value: 0.035), handling of cow feces (X2: 4.119; p-Value: 0.042) and lack of regular cleaning of dairy farms' barns (X2:5.227; p-Value: 0.022). All Salmonella isolates (n=6) showed resistance to ampicillin. Both isolates from the contact human were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin. Three isolates from the lactating cow and two isolates from the contact human showed multidrug resistance.
CONCLUSIONS:
Handling of cow feces with bare hands and lack of regular cleaning of barns were statistically associated with Salmonella. These have an impact on the transmission of Salmonella from the feces of lactating cows to contact humans. Ampicillin remained non-responsive to all isolates of Salmonella. The multidrug-resistant Salmonella was high in cows and humans.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) affects all ages in all regions, especially in low- and middle-income countries. AMR impacts human and animal health, food production and the environment. This study aimed to determine the fecal carriage, antimicrobial susceptibility, and associated factors of Salmonella from lactating cows and contact humans in Mekelle and the Southeastern Zones of Tigrai, Ethiopia.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2025. Overall, 199 contact human stool and 199 lactating cow feces were included. Risk factors were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire, followed by the collection of feces and stool samples. Pre-enrichment, selective enrichment, selective media, and a series of biochemical tests were used to identify and isolate Salmonella. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23 was used to analyze the data. Chi-square test was used to determine the strength of risk factors associated with Salmonella.
RESULTS:
Salmonella was isolated from 1% (2/199) of human stool and 2% (4/199) of cows’ feces. Salmonella isolates showed statistically significant associations with cleaning of cow feces using bare hands (X2:4.44; p-Value: 0.035), handling of cow feces (X2: 4.119; p-Value: 0.042) and lack of regular cleaning of dairy farms' barns (X2:5.227; p-Value: 0.022). All Salmonella isolates (n=6) showed resistance to ampicillin. Both isolates from the contact human were susceptible to cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin. Three isolates from the lactating cow and two isolates from the contact human showed multidrug resistance.
CONCLUSIONS:
Handling of cow feces with bare hands and lack of regular cleaning of barns were statistically associated with Salmonella. These have an impact on the transmission of Salmonella from the feces of lactating cows to contact humans. Ampicillin remained non-responsive to all isolates of Salmonella. The multidrug-resistant Salmonella was high in cows and humans.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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