JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY AND VIROLOGY ISSN:1598-2467(Print) 2093-0429(Online)

This study investigated the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella spp. isolated from retail meat products distributed in Gwangju Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea, between 2022 and 2024. A total of 139 Salmonella isolates were recovered from 994 meat samples collected from retail markets. All Salmonella isolates were serotyped and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility against 16 antimicrobial agents. Salmonella spp. Were predominantly isolated from poultry products, accounting for 94.2% of the total isolates. The highest isolation rates were observed in chicken (35.9%) and duck (27.5%), whereas pork (2.1%) and beef (0.6%) showed relatively low prevalence. Among poultry products, processed cut meats exhibited a higher isolation rate (40.6%) than raw meats (25.4%). Fifteen distinct serotypes were identified. S. Infantis was the most predominant serotype (70.5%), followed by S. Typhimurium (11.5%); together, these two serotypes accounted for more than 80% of all isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance rates to nitrofurantoin (79.9%), ampicillin (74.1%), cefazolin (73.4%), and cefotaxime (73.4%). Multidrug resistance defined as resistance to two or more antimicrobial agents, was observed in 76.3% of isolates, while only 13.7% were susceptible to all tested agents. Notably, 98.0% of S. Infantis isolates exhibited multidrug resistance, and the majority were recovered from poultry products. These findings suggest that frequent bacterial transmission in poultry raised under intensive farming conditions, likely facilitated by close contact and highlight the need for strengthened surveillance and management practices to reduce Salmonella contamination in poultry products. The results of this study provide fundamental data for epidemiological investigations and clinical management of Salmonella-associated foodborne illnesses in the Gwangju region.