Microbiological quality and Salmonella prevalence, serovar distribution and antimicrobial resistance associated with informal raw chicken processing in Accra, Ghana

Fresh chicken meat is retailed mostly in informal live bird markets (LBM), cottage farms and registered supermarkets. LBM are street food operations that slaughter, dress and trade live or dressed poultry on demand. Here, we provide data on microbiological hazards from LBM, supermarkets and cottage farms in Accra, and evidence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella serovars from informal poultry operations. Samples (148) comprising of 60 broiler carcasses from LBM, supermarkets and cottage farms, 33 bench-top swabs, 33 fecal samples and 22 rinse water samples were assessed for Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Salmonella and relative prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Resistance against 14 antibiotics was determined using disc diffusion assay and EUCAST breakpoints. Mean APC, S. aureus and E. coli counts were 8.5, 5.8 and 3.8 log CFU/g for LBM, 6.4, 2.1 and 0.9 log CFU/g for supermarkets and 6.1, 3.9 and 5.2 Log CFU/g for cottage farms respectively. Microbial counts on chicken carcasses for LBM were significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to supermarkets and cottage farms. Salmonella and Campylobacter were prevalent at 61% and 18% respectively on chicken carcasses, 77% and 10% respectively from rinse water, 81% and 20% respectively from fecal matter and 5% and 0% on bench surfaces. At the LBMs alone, 77% and 13% of carcasses were positive for Salmonella and Campylobacter respectively. The most prevalent Salmonella serovars were S. Typhimuruim, S. Infantis, S. Enteritidis and S. Newport. Although multidrug resistance (MDR) to 3–9 classes of antimicrobials occurred in 93% of the Salmonella isolates, resistance to ciprofloxacin (22%) and chloramphenicol (9%), which are fist line antibiotics, was low. The high prevalence of MDR Salmonella in fecal matter, rinse water and on chicken carcasses suggest cross-contamination onto skin of carcasses during processing, and raises concern for public health.