Objective: To evaluate the presence and antibiogram pattern of Salmonella and Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus) in retail poultry meat products. Methods: Foodborne pathogens (Salmonella
and S. aureus) were isolated from poultry meat and confirmed with the help of biochemical and
immunological test. Antibiogram of the isolates were examined by following CLSI methods.
Results: A total number of 209 poultry meat samples were collected and studied in this
study. Out of which, 5.26% were found contaminated with Salmonella while 18.18% were found
contaminated with S. aureus. All the Salmonella and S. aureus isolates were found resistant to at
least one antibiotic. About 72.72% of the Salmonella isolates showed resistance to tetracycline,
while S. aureus isolates were also found highly resistant to tetracycline equal to 44.73%. One
of the Salmonella isolates showed multi-drug resistance to almost six antibiotics out of nine
antibiotics used in the study. Multidrug resistant S. aureus isolates were also found in the study.
Conclusions: The study confirmed the presence of Salmonella and S. aureus in retail poultry
meat. It is a potential threat to consumer health. To reduce the risk of contamination, good
hygiene practices are necessary from processing to storage.