Isolation of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Organisms from Aborted Cows and Emu Birds from District Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Abstract

We investigated 102 samples (faecal swabs of live birds, spleen, caecum, liver and congested intestines of dead birds and uterine discharges, and diarrheal faeces of cattle, buffaloes and horses) for the presence of Salmonella organisms. Salmonella could be isolated from nine samples (7 from uterine fluid of aborted cows and 2 from fecal swabs of Emu birds). Identification of the isolates was done on the basis of cultural, staining and biochemical characteristics. All the 9 isolates were negative for oxidase and positive for catalase, motility indole lysine, and citrate utilization tests. The isolates were confirmed to be Salmonella by PCR using Salmonella genus specific oligonucleotide primers which yielded the desired amplicons of 496-bp. This indicates that Salmonella may also be associated with bacterial abortion and infertility in cattle. We found resistance to certain antibiotics among Salmonella and suggest here some of the most effective antibiotics for use in the field. The isolated organisms were found to be resistant to erythromycin and penicillin and sensitive to gatifloxacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, doxycycline, cefoparazone, ceftaxime, and oxytetracycline. Salmonellosis being a zoonosis, the findings are of public health significance as well.