Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Isolated from Animal-Based Foods in Libya

Azwai, Salah Mohamed and Sherif, Jihan Ali and Farag, Samira Abd Allateef and Abureema, Salem Farhat and Garbaj, Aboubaker Mohamed and Gammoudi, Fatim Taher and Eldaghayes, Ibrahim Mohamed (2026) Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Isolated from Animal-Based Foods in Libya. World's Veterinary Journal. 476 - 485. ISSN 23224568

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Abstract

The emergence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica in food represents a significant public health concern worldwide, particularly in developing countries such as Libya. Addressing antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica is essential, particularly where food hygiene and antimicrobial regulations are weak. The present study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolated from different animal-derived food products collected at retail markets in Libya. In the current study, 18 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolates were obtained from 751 food samples, including milk, dairy products, meat, and meat products, collected randomly from retail markets in Libya. The isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, and their antibiotic resistance profiles were evaluated against 33 antibiotics representing 12 different classes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that all isolates were 100 resistant to penicillin, with high resistance rates to neomycin and rifampicin (94.4). However, high susceptibility rates were observed for chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and norfloxacin (88.9). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index varied from 0.1 to 0.6, with the maximum MAR value (0.6) recorded in isolates exhibiting resistance to 21 antibiotics. The current findings underscore the necessity to enhance food safety protocols, as multidrug resistance was prevalent among the isolates, particularly to penicillin, neomycin, and rifampicin. Therefore, the utilization of antimicrobial agents in both veterinary and human settings should be strictly regulated to control the emerging threat of multidrug-resistant strains. Additionally, the present results suggested that fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins remain among the most effective antimicrobial agents and may be considered for the treatment of salmonellosis. The detection of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica in animal-derived foods in Libya represented a significant public health concern, underscoring the critical need for enhanced surveillance, stricter antimicrobial use regulations, and improved food safety measures. © The Author(s) 2026. Open Access: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Foodborne pathogen; Meat; Milk; Multidrug resistance; Salmonella enterica subsp enterica
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SF Animal culture
Divisions:	World's Veterinary Journal (WVJ)
Page Range:	476 - 485
Journal or Publication Title:	World's Veterinary Journal
Journal Index:	Scopus
Volume:	16
Number:	2
Publisher:	Scienceline Publication
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.54203/scil.2026.wvj45
ISSN:	23224568
Depositing User:	Dr. Alireza Sadeghi
URI:	https://eprints.science-line.com/id/eprint/1682

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