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Sammanfattning

Salmonella is a major global public health concern. In Cambodia, data on its prevalence in the food chain is limited, despite salmonellosis being a notable cause of gastrointestinal illness, particularly among children. This thesis aimed to generate new knowledge on the occurrence of Salmonella and its genetic traits associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in fresh food products in Cambodia. A total of 285 food samples, including 75 meats, 50 seafood/fish, and 160 leafy green vegetables, were randomly collected from Phnom Penh local markets and nearby vegetable farms during 2020-2021. Cross-contamination risks were observed during food sampling through a checklist and a brief interview assessing hygiene practices and food handling procedures. As outlined in ISO 6579-1:2017, culture-based methods were employed to isolate Salmonella from all food samples, which were confirmed through biochemical, serological, and PCR tests. Following this, the Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test (AST) was conducted for the AMR phenotypes among Salmonella isolates. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis was performed to identify serovars and detect antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), plasmids, virulence genes, and Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPIs). A high prevalence of Salmonella spp. 48% (138/285) was reported across samples, with the highest occurrence in meat (71%). Thirty-two distinct serovars were detected, with the most common being: S. Corvallis, S. Haifa, S. Weltevreden, S. Agona, S. Kentucky, and S. Livingstone. Inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices during handling, storage, and preservation at both farm and market levels, which likely cause crosscontamination opportunities, were also observed. The AMR result showed widespread resistance, affecting 71% of isolates, including 39% with multidrug resistance (MDR) supported by a diverse range of AMR-associated genes. High genetic diversity was detected, including plasmids, virulence-associated genes, and SPIs linked to AMR. These findings highlight the urgent need for integrated food safety interventions and robust antimicrobial stewardship to mitigate the risk of foodborne transmission of AMR Salmonella in Cambodia.

Nyckelord

Salmonella; prevalence; foodborne illness; food safety; local market; Phnom Penh

Publicerad i

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae
2025, nummer: 2025:86
Utgivare: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Patobiologi

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.1hrbst551v
  • ISBN: 978-91-8124-070-2
  • eISBN: 978-91-8124-116-7

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/142487