Handling and consuming contaminated meat can lead to food poisoning and the acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Salmonella spp. are the most isolated bacteria from broiler chicken meat, leading to serious foodborne diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the presence and antibiogram profiles of Salmonella spp. and S. aureus strains in poultry meat purchased from modern and traditional poultry slaughterhouses in Morocco. Foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella spp. and S. aureus, were isolated from poultry meat using standard methods and then confirmed by biochemical tests (coagulase, catalase, oxidase, motility and API 20E for further biochemical identification) and an immunological test (serotyping test). The antibiogram of the isolates was determined using the agar diffusion method and interpreted according to the criteria of performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne, Pennsylvania, USA. A total of 540 poultry meat samples were collected and treated (360 poultry meat samples from traditional slaughterhouses and 180 poultry meat samples from modern slaughterhouses), out of which 15.92% were S. aureus positive and 7.40% were Salmonella spp. positive. In traditional poultry slaughterhouses, the prevalence rates of Salmonella spp. and S. aureus were 11.11% and 20.55%, respectively. In contrast, Salmonella spp. was not detected in poultry samples of modern poultry slaughterhouses, and the prevalence of S. aureus was 6.66%. All S. aureus and 97% of Salmonella spp. isolates were found resistant to at least one antibiotic, while 86% of S. aureus and 30% of Salmonella spp. showed resistance to more than three antibiotics. The obtained results of the present study confirmed that broiler chicken meat purchased from traditional poultry slaughterhouses was mainly contaminated by Salmonella spp. and S. aureus, indicating a major public health risk in Morocco. Therefore, considerable efforts should be made to apply appropriate hygiene practices.

The development of antimicrobial resistance has become a severe global public health emergency. Foods of animal origin are considered possible drivers of resistant bacteria, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella spp. It is associated with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, resulting in the inability to treat patients infected with antibiotic-resistant pathogens and a high risk of transmission of these resistant pathogens. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in raw table eggs in Morocco. A total of 870 table eggs resulting from 290 samples (3 eggs = 1 sample), were purchased from ambulatory sellers, street vendors, kiosks, and neighborhood markets from different cities in Morocco and transferred to the laboratory in the Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine Institute of Rabat, Morocco. The egg shells and contents were tested separately then the isolation and identification of bacterial pathogens were performed according to the Moroccan Standard Norms. The bacterial isolates were tested for susceptibility to six commonly used antibiotics, namely nalidixic acid (30 µg), kanamycin (30 µg), gentamycin (15 µg), ciprofloxacin (15 µg), tetracycline (30 µg), and amoxicillin (10 μg). The findings revealed that 38 samples (13%) tested positive for E. coli of which 9% were on egg shells, and 4% were in egg content, while for Salmonella enteritidis (S. enteritidis), 5 samples (2%) tested positive and only in the egg contents. Escherichia coli showed the highest resistance to amoxicillin, followed by tetracycline and nalidixic acid with 92.10%, 84.21%, and 50%, respectively, and was sensitive to ciprofloxacin (84.21%), kanamycin (65.79%), and gentamicin (60.54%). Salmonella enteritidis had the highest resistance against tetracycline (80%), followed by ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid with 40% each. The highest sensitivity rates of S. enteritidis were for gentamicin, amoxicillin, and kanamycin at 80%, 80%, and 40%, respectively. Given that these resistant bacteria could potentially be transferred to humans through eggs or egg products, it is necessary to employ strict hygiene measures and provide a wise and legal use of antibiotics in animal breeding.