ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial resistance is a widely studied issue in all bacterial genera, but in the case of those responsible for zoonotic illnesses, like Salmonella, they merit special attention, because it can be transmitted via foodstuffs to human beings. The present study was carried out to verify the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in 22 samples of Salmonella Hadar isolated from broiler chicken carcasses in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from May 1995 to April 1996. In the present study, the results indicated that 100% of the Salmonella Hadar isolates were resistant to tetracycline, streptomycin and sulfazotrim, while intermediate resistance was observed at different levels, to nalidixic acid (86.36%), nitrofurantoin (18.18%) and chloramphenicol (4.54%). All isolates were resistant to three or more antimicorbials agents, with five different patterns of resistance. These levels of resistance highlight the need for responsible use of antimicrobial agents in animal production.
KEY WORDS
Salmonella Hadar; antimicrobial resistance; broiler chicken carcasses