Background and Aim: Salmonella spp. are an important group of pathogens responsible for human and animal diseases. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and identify and characterize of Salmonella spp. isolated from broiler farms of Gazipur, Tangail, and Dhaka districts of Bangladesh. This study also evaluated the difference of Salmonella positivity status between two groups of farms, good practices adapted in broiler rearing at the project intervened farms, and non-project intervened traditional farms.

Materials and Methods: A total of 352 samples including 128 cloacal swabs, 32 whole carcasses, 64 feed, 64 water, and 64 attendants' hand rinses were collected through convenient sampling technique from 16 poultry food safety project of Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations Bangladesh intervened farms and other 16 non-project intervened farms in the same location. Various cultural based techniques and biochemical methods were employed for the estimation of prevalence, isolation, and identification of Salmonella spp. which was further evaluated by polymerase chain reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility test using disk diffusion methods and serogrouping by slide agglutination test was accomplished for additional characterization.

Results: Among the samples, an overall prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 31.25% (110/352) (95% confidence interval [CI]=26.44-36.38%). However, the prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 24.43% (43/176) (95% CI=18.28-31.47) in project intervened farms and 38.07% (67/176) (95% CI=30.87-45.68%) in non-intervened farms. Among the 110 isolates, 31.82% (35/110) were fitted under serogroup B, and the rest of the isolates 75 (68.18%) under serogroup D. Of 110 isolates, 82.72%, 77.27%, 81.82%, and 79.09% were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, norfloxacin, and streptomycin, respectively. In addition, 81.82% and 80% isolates were resistant to erythromycin and tetracycline, respectively. Isolated Salmonella spp. presented moderate resistance to both amoxicillin and azithromycin. Alarmingly, 80.91% (89/110) isolates were shown to be multidrug-resistant Salmonella spp.

Conclusion: The study has presented a significant variation of the prevalence of Salmonella spp. between project intervened and non-project intervened farms, and this indicates project intervened farms are comparatively safer than the non-intervened farms considering public health and food safety grounds. This research outcome also has highlighted a substantial proportion of poultry origin multidrug resistance Salmonella spp. is a potential source of public health hazards. In this regard, proper awareness creation and motivational activities on good agriculture practices in poultry rearing and maintaining good personal hygiene at the farmers' level are warranted through participatory training.

Keywords: good agriculture practices, hygienic practices, multidrug resistance, poultry, Salmonella spp.