RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Salmonella is a zoonotic bacterium transmitted through the food chain and is an important cause of disease in humans. The current study is aimed to characterize Salmonella isolates from broiler breeder chickens farms using, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis of representative isolates. METHODS: S. Kentucky (n=11), S. Enteritidis (n=4), S. Typhimurium (n=3), S. Breanderp (n=1), and Sand S. Newport (n=1), were identified from chicken farms. Antimicrobial sensitivity test among the strains were investigated using 13 antibacterial discs. The amplified fragments of fliC and sefA genes were used to characterize S. Kentucky, S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium strains. Sequence analysis of the amplified PCR products for Salmonella Kentucky, Enteritidis and Typhimurium were carried out. RESULTS: Antimicrobial sensitivity testing revealed that 95% of the isolates were resistant to penicillin, 85% to norfloxacin and colistin sulfate (each), 75% to gentamicin, 70% to nalidixic acid and 60% to flumequine. The obtained sequences revealed the close identity of the isolated strains with other Salmonella reference strains in different countries. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the selected salmonellae confirm the report of Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Kentucky circulation among broiler breeder flocks and the need to determine antibacterial susceptibility pattern regularly to detect multidrug-resistant salmonellae. The present study reports the circulation of Salmonella Kentucky, Enteritidis and Typhimurium among broiler breeder farms in Egypt. Emergency control of salmonellae is a global public health concern.