VIRULENCE OF Salmonella spp. OF POULTRY PRODUCTS ORIGIN AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

The ability of Salmonella to cause disease depends on several genetic determinant factors, including genes that encodes some virulence trait of these bacteria. The aim of this work was to research genes associated with virulence in Salmonella isolates of poultry products in its phase of adhesion and cell invasion, and to evaluate the resistance of these isolates to 11 antimicrobials. Were analyzed 18 samples of Salmonella spp. isolated during the 2009 year using drag swabs from poultry broiler in the state of Sao Paulo. All samples were tested using PCR technique for genes that were associated to virulence: invA, lpfA and agfA. Most samples had high positivity to virulence genes, and 88.9% of the samples had the three genes. It was verified that 17 samples (94.4%) had specific fragments to the invA and lpfA genes and the gene agfA was positive in all samples (100%). All samples were resistant to at least one antibiotic tested, the data indicated that the samples analyzed had greatest resistance to amoxacilin with 27.7%. The results demonstrate the pathogenicity of the Salmonella serovars which represent potential health challenges in poultry, the risk of the spread of multidrug resistant and virulent specimens among the animals and therefore can affect humans.