Salmonella-related gastroenteritis and diarrheal infections pose significant health risks across all age groups in the developing countries. The high consumption of raw green leafy vegetables, particularly among health-conscious and younger populations, may further increase the risk of infection if food preparation is inadequate. In the current study, 645 vegetable samples were collected over the year, and 61 samples tested positive for bacterial contamination of Salmonella spp. The highest bacterial contamination was recorded in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) (18.60%, positive (n)/total sample (N) = 8/43), Bathua (Chenopodium album), and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-gracecum) (18.60%, n/N = 8/43), followed by cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) (13.95%, n/N = 6/43), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and purslane (Portulaca oleracea) (11.62%, n/N = 5/43). The vegetable samples were collected randomly, and vegetables were subsequently assessed biochemically and microbiologically. Over the year, monthly analysis revealed peak contamination percentages in February (15.55%, n/N = 7/45), September (11.66%, n/N = 7/60), August, and January (10.66%, n/N = 8/75). The 15 samples was selected from 61 Salmonella isolates for antibiotic susceptibility profiling showed the high resistance to methicillin (93.33%, n/N = 14/15), Cefpodoxime, Clindamycin, and Teicoplanin (80%, n/N = 12/15), Linezolid, Novobiocin, Colistin, and Nitrofurantoin (53.33%, n/N = 8/15). Analysis of randomly selected vegetable samples using 16S rRNA confirmed the presence of Salmonella typhimurium subspecies as the predominant serovars. The present study is crucial for understanding the nature of bacterial flora, resistance, and transmission.
Antimicrobial Resistance, Food Safety, Salmonella spp., Prevalence, Vegetables
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