Abstract

AVIAN SALMONELLOSIS: PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS IN CAMEROON BROILER CHICKENS

Flavie Gaelle Djoueudam, Jean Baptiste Sokoudjou, Alain Bertrand Fowa, Siméon Pierre Fodouop Chegaing and Donatien Gatsing*

ABSTRACT

Salmonellosis is one of the most common food-borne bacterial diseases in the world. Contamination of broilers chickens with Salmonella poses a public health problem and significant economic repercussions. In order to prevent the spread of Salmonella during the breeding process, adequate control measures must be set up. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and to identify the risk factors for Salmonella contamination in broiler flocks in the six sub-divisions of the Menoua Division, Cameroon. Batch contamination levels were assessed by stool culture on fresh on-farm samples, and a logistic regression was used to assess the risk factor/prevalence association of Salmonella infection. Out of 60 farms included in this study, 40 (66.67%) were subject to Salmonella attack. Among this 40 contaminated farms, 11 are located in Dschang, 06 in Fokoué, 05 in Fongo-Tongo, 05 in Nkong-Ni, 06 in Penka-Michel, 07 in Santchou. 05 main factors were strongly related to this contamination, namely buildings within 500 m fare from farms (OR = 5.65, 95% CI: 1.65-19.45, p=0.005), unsterilized litter (OR = 3.63, 95 % CI: 1.32-22.89, p = 0.000), non-functional foot baths (OR = 14.45, 95% CI: 3.65-57.19, p = 0.000), non-disinfected equipment (OR = 9.48, 95% CI: 2.59-34.69, p = 0.0004) and the preservation of sick chickens on farms (OR = 9.33, 95% CI: 2.72-31.95, p = 0.0004). Salmonella contamination occurs in almost every stage of the production chain. However, practical measures need to be taken by breeders, consumers and even the state to irradiate these germs in the broiler chain.

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