Strains Isolated from Raw Poultry Meat in the Shahrekord Region, Iran: Frequency and Molecular Characteristics.

Even though () is a serious pathogen, its origin is unknown. Poultry (chicken, turkey, quail, goose, and ostrich) is consumed as a regular protein source by many people across the world; therefore, sanitary ways of delivering poultry for food are important for global health. As a result, the distribution of the virulence genes , , , , and in isolates in poultry meat, as well as their antibacterial resistance, was investigated. A Wilkins Chalgren anaerobic bacterial medium was used to cultivate 320 samples of raw poultry meat. Disk diffusion and multiplex-PCR were used to investigate both antimicrobial resistance and genotyping patterns. was found in 20 of 320 (6.25 %) raw chicken meat samples. The highest incidence of was found in chicken raw meat (15%), whereas no isolate was recovered from goose or quail raw meat (0.00%). Resistance to ampicillin (85%), tetracycline (85%), and amoxicillin (75%) were the most commonly detected in the tested isolates. The percentage of isolates with a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value of more than 0.2 was 17/20 (85%). The most prevalent genotypes detected were (75%), (75%), (70%) and (65%), and (60%). The most typically detected genotype patterns were (45 %), (45 %), and (30%). , +, and - genotypes were found in 40%, 30%, and 30% of the population, respectively. In summary, fresh poultry meat was polluted by , with the , , and genotypes being more prevalent. The simultaneous occurrence of , , , , and genotypes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria raises a serious public health concern regarding the consumption of raw poultry. Future research should evaluate antimicrobial resistance among isolates in Iran.