Small Scale Testing of Poultry Feces to Enumerate the Risk of Environmental Contamination & Food-Borne Illnesses

Live poultry stocks from local grocery markets are a potent reservoir of environmental contamination and foodborne illness. Bacteria present in poultry feces pose a potential health risk to humans through cross-contamination, which may lead to the spread of infectious diseases. The present study specifically focused on bacteria associated with poultry feces. We aimed to conduct microbiological analysis to isolate and identify microbial load present in poultry fecal samples that could lead to environmental contamination and associated risks of foodborne illnesses. Isolation from fecal samples was performed through standard culture techniques, and differential and biochemical analyses were performed as isolation and identification methods. Twenty fecal samples were collected, and the findings of this study were as follows: Staph spp. 100%, E. coli spp. 25%, Serratia spp. 10%, Salmonella spp. 15% and Citrobacter spp. 20%. The findings of this study provided insight into the microbial association with live poultry stocks in grocery markets and their potential wellness concerns.