Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Zoonotic Campylobacter spp and Salmonella enterica Recovered from Poultry Droppings in the Selected Poultry Farms of Aluu Community, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Poultry production plays a vital role in food security and economic development, but it is increasingly associated with the emergence of zoonotic pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study determined the occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Campylobacter species and Salmonella enterica isolated from poultry droppings in selected farms in Aluu Community, Rivers State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional laboratory-based study was conducted using 120 fresh poultry dropping samples. Isolation and identification followed ISO standard procedures, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method in accordance with CLSI guidelines. The results revealed that Campylobacter species were the most prevalent (28.3%), followed by Salmonella enterica (23.3%), with mixed infection observed in 8.3% of samples. Nearly half of the samples (48.4%) yielded no target organisms. Salmonella enterica showed high susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (82.1%) and gentamicin (75.0%) but exhibited marked resistance to tetracycline and ampicillin (67.9% each). Similarly, Campylobacter isolates were highly susceptible to azithromycin (85.3%) and erythromycin (79.4%) but demonstrated high resistance to tetracycline (67.7%) and ciprofloxacin (52.9%). Multidrug resistance was observed in 41.9% of isolates. The study highlights poultry droppings as important reservoirs of zoonotic bacteria and antimicrobial-resistant organisms. The high prevalence of resistance underscores the need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, improved farm hygiene, and integrated One Health surveillance to mitigate public health risks associated with poultry production systems.