Highly resistant Salmonella Heidelberg circulating in broiler farms in southern Brazil

Salmonella Heidelberg, a serotype commonly found in Southern Brazil, is characterized by its high resistance and persistence in the poultry production. This study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of S. Heidelberg strains. In total, 100 strains isolated from poultry between 2020 and 2022 were evaluated. Phenotypic analyses were performed to determine the susceptibility of 16 antimicrobial agents and detect extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. Molecular analyses were performed to detect 11 antimicrobial resistance genes (using polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) and integron class 1 genes (using real-time PCR). A total of 98% of isolates was classified as multidrug-resistant. All isolates were resistant to penicillin and lincomycin. High resistance rates (> 85%) were observed for tetracycline, doxycycline, cephalexin, amoxicillin, and ceftiofur. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in antimicrobial resistance is observed for amoxicillin, cephalexin, and ceftiofur between 2020 and 2022. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in antimicrobial resistance with respect to the region of isolation, season, or company. In total, 25% of isolates were ESBL producers. Integron class 1 gene was detected in only one strain, whereas sul2 was detected in 99%, tet(A) in 66%, bla_TEM in 37%, strB in 17%, cmlA in 15%, and tet(B) in 11% of the strains. Other genes were not detected or were detected in < 2% of the strains. The results showed a high overall resistance, which increased over the evaluated period. The high proportions of ESBL-producing and antimicrobial resistant strains represent a risk for highly-resistant S. Heidelberg dissemination across broiler flocks.