DETECTION AND PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA SPP AND SHIGELLA SPP IN READY-TO-EAT GAME MEAT OBTAINED FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Game meat represents a primary source of animal protein. Concerns have been raised about the sustainability of hunting practices for wildlife populations where bushmeat harvest is common as well as the risk of exposing hunters and consumers to emerging, reemerging, and endemic zoonotic diseases as a result of the widespread reliance on game meat for nutritional and financial security. This study evaluated the prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella in varieties of bushmeat samples from Southwestern part of Nigeria. A total of 55 samples were tested for the presence of Salmonella and Shigella using Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate Agar and Hektoen Enteric Agar. All samples had presumptive Salmonella and Shigella, molecular identification of selected Salmonella (n=37) and Shigella (n=18) isolates using Simplex PCR was done which confirmed that Shigella and Salmonella were found to be present in the game meat samples. The total prevalence for positive Salmonella samples is 41.8% and for positive Shigella samples is 45.5%. The presence of a very high microbial load of Salmonella and Shigella poses a threat to public health which could lead to foodborne illnesses including gastroenteritis and bacterial diarrhea.