Isolation and Identification of Salmonella Typhimurium in Retail Meat Sources by Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is considered one of the most important emerging food-borne pathogens in public health worldwide. Meat is commonly known as the food sources responsible for the salmonellosis outbreak.

Overall, 141 different meat samples were randomly collected from local markets. The conventional culture method was performed to isolate Salmonella spp., and then, using two pairs of primers, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was employed to confirm the identification of isolated colonies as Salmonella spp. and determine serovars as Typhimurium.

Out of 141 samples, 48 (34%) ones were presumptively isolated as Salmonella on the Salmonella agar medium and distributed as 24%, 23%, and 42% among veal, lamb, and chicken meat, respectively. However, the results of multiplex PCR showed that 4.9% of chicken meat was merely identified as S. Typhimurium. In general, S. Typhimurium isolates were found only in chicken meat.

Salmonella Typhimurium isolates were only observed in the chicken meat. Multiplex PCR was found to be a specific and rapid alternative method for the identification of various types of Salmonella.