Seroprevelance and Antibiotic Resistance of Salmonella spp. Isolated From Pigeons and Their Environment in Nineveh Governorate

This study was conducted to explore the antibody titers and antibiotic sensitivity of salmonella organisms isolated from pigeons and their surrounding in Nineveh governorate during the period from November 2021 to March 2022. Thirty out of 83 positive Salmonella spp. isolated from 400 pigeons and 150 samples of their environment in a previous study (unpublished data) were subjected to an antibiogram sensitivity test. Nearly half of the isolates (n=16) were tested for ß- lactamase production. Seroprevalence of 92 blood samples collected from the same pigeons (69/adults and 23/squabs) were used for the estimation of S. enteritides antibody titers. The antibiogram profile of tested Salmonella spp. revealed high resistance (73.33%) to Ciprofloxacin followed by Colistin (70%), Florphenicol (66.6%), Sulphamethoxazole-Trimethoprim (60%), Lincomycin and Amoxicillin (46.6), Spiramycin and Doxycycline (40%), Tetracycline (36.66%), Levofloxacin and Enrofloxacin (33.33%), Phosphomycin (26.6%), Norfloxacin (23.3%), Cephalexin, Neomycin and Gentamycin 16.66%. Beta-lactmase producing Salmonella spp. revealed that 3 isolates out of 13(18.75%) were positive by acidimetric, 7/16(43.75%) using extended spectrum ß -lactmase and 6/16(37.5%) in extended spectrum ß -lactmase type ampC methods. Antibody titers to S. enteritides naturally exposed pigeons obtained by Indirect ELISA revealed a significant (P≤0.ooo1) difference between adults and squabs mean titers. In conclusion, pigeons are considered one of the Salmonella spp. sources that may aid in the cross-contamination of Salmonella spp. from pigeons to the surroundings, humans or animals.