ISOLATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY TEST OF NON TYPHOIDAL SALMONELLA FROM RAW COW MILK AND ASSESSMENT OF HYGIENIC PRACTICES IN GURSUM DISTRICT, EASTERN HARARGE, ETHIOPIA

Non-Typhoidal Salmonella represents an important human and animal pathogen world-wide. Most human non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) cases are foodborne, but each year infections are also acquired through direct or indirect animal contact. Epidemiological information on the prevalence of Salmonella is a prerequisite to develop appropriate control strategies. A cross sectional study was conducted from July 2022 to January 2023 to isolate and perform Antimicrobial susceptibility test of NTS from raw cow milk and assessment of hygienic practices in Gursum District, Eastern Hararge, Ethiopia. A total of 480 samples were collected from 40 from each samples namely bucket swab, hands swab of milk handlers and milk. Samples were microbiologically examined and isolates were biochemically tested. Additionally antimicrobial susceptibility test were done using disc diffusion technique. The total prevalence of NT Salmonella was 11.7% (56/480). The proportion of Salmonella isolates from different samples were, 13.7%, 12.5%, 13.7% and 8.8% for bucket, milk and hand swabs respectively. The higher Salmonella isolation from the bucket of Abadir and Funyan Bira kebeles with equal and result of 8(20%). There is no significance difference for isolation of NTS among all study variables. All isolates were resistant at least two or more to Tetracycline, Ampicillin and Penicillin with rate of 91.07%, 82.14 and 73.21 respectively. Almost all isolates were sensitive to Chloramphenicol (100%), Nalidixic acid (91.07 %) and Ciprofloxacin (91.07%). Regarding questionnaire majority of respondent were female 95%, 83% of milk handlers in study area were illiterate. Based on knowledge, attitude and practices consideration, some of them was milking the caw while sick 20%, 100% of respondent wash udder before milking whereas majority (85%) of them clean their hand and 90% engaged well in milking equipment’s. The highest isolation was from milk and milk contacting surfaces at market (Funyan Bira). The highest percentage of Salmonella isolates were resistant at least to one of the antibiotics tested.