Veterinary Research Forum

Isolation and molecular detection of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium from poultry processing environments at wet markets in Sulaymaniyah province, Iraq

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Khoshi Ari Muhammed
Eman Dhahir Arif

Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2025.2064877.4819
Abstract
Non-typhoidal Salmonella is a predominant etiological agent of foodborne infections globally. Salmonella serovars are present throughout the chicken's digestive tract, particularly in the ceca. This study, conducted from October 2024 to April 2025, employed cultural methods to isolate and identify Salmonella from samples collected at the broiler chicken wet market in Sulaymaniyah province, Iraq. The research additionally examined the prevalence of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium in these samples by PCR. Two-hundred and ten samples were obtained from the cecum, cutting boards, knives, body swabs, workers' hands, and water. Salmonella was isolated from the samples and identified by culturing and molecular techniques. Consequently, 103 individuals (49.04%) tested positive for Salmonella via culture. The PCR results revealed that the contamination rate for S. enterica was 74 (71.84%); 47 (63.51%) were S. Typhimurium, and 33 (70.21%) of S. Typhimurium possessed the hilA gene. The highest prevalence was observed in chopping boards, with 91.67% for S. enterica, whereas the maximum rate for S. Typhimurium was recorded in water, at 100%. The phylogenetic tree indicates that the Iraqi isolate with accession number of PV250092 belongs to the principal group of isolates, exhibiting a bootstrap support value of 100%, signifying a robust genetic association with them. To conclude, this research demonstrated a notable prevalence of Salmonella in the broiler chicken processing environment, particularly a high incidence of S. Typhimurium isolates. The placement of the Iraqi isolate within the global isolate clade suggests a recent common ancestor with other isolates, indicating global transmission pathways.

Keywords

Chicken
Foodborne illness
Prevalence
Salmonellosis
Salmonella Typhimurium
Subjects
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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 17, Issue 6
June 2026
Pages 391-397

  • Receive Date 05 July 2025
  • Revise Date 11 October 2025
  • Accept Date 10 December 2025

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