New Findings in Veterinary Microbiology

New Findings in Veterinary Microbiology

Investigation of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella strains isolated from ornamental birds with diarrhea

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Graduated student, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Food Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
10.22034/nfvm.2026.579784.1313
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a major global public health challenge. Close human-animal contact and overuse of antibacterial agents in veterinary medicine increase the risk of spreading drug resistance. Salmonella, as a leading cause of infectious gastroenteritis in humans and animals, holds particular importance in epidemiological studies. In this study, cloacal swab samples were collected from 150 ornamental birds with diarrhea and transported to the laboratory. After isolation of presumptive Salmonella isolates based on biochemical tests, antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method. Tested antibiotics included kanamycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cefixime, tetracycline, and ampicillin. Data were analyzed using SPSS at a significance level of 0.05. Salmonella was isolated from 22% of the studied birds. The highest resistance rates were observed against ampicillin (100%), and kanamycin (93.9%) while the lowest resistance was to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (9.1%) and tetracycline (72.7%). The largest mean inhibition zone diameter was recorded for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (20.06 mm) and the smallest for ampicillin (0.84 mm). Salmonella prevalence was highest in canaries, Brazilian parrots, and pigeons. These findings suggest that ornamental birds with diarrhea could be potential reservoirs of resistant Salmonella strains. Therefore, performing antibiotic susceptibility testing before prescribing drugs, rational use of antibiotics, and continuous monitoring of microbial resistance in ornamental birds are of great importance.
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Volume 9, Issue 1
Spring 2026
Pages 63-73

  • Receive Date 12 May 2026
  • Revise Date 04 June 2026
  • Accept Date 04 June 2026