Salmonella and antimicrobial resistance in Cambodia's food supply chain

Local markets account for a large portion of the food supply in Cambodia. These markets are often unregulated and have limited capacity to maintain good food hygiene. This increases the risk of the spread of disease-causing bacteria, including Salmonella.

There is still limited knowledge about how the bacterium spreads through the food chain, its genetic variation, and its antibiotic resistance.

The dissertation investigated the prevalence of Salmonella in meat, fish, shellfish, and vegetables from five local markets in Phnom Penh. Vegetables were also collected from nearby farms that supplied the markets. A total of 285 samples were analyzed. The bacteria were also examined to identify different types of Salmonella, their resistance to antibiotics, and genetic variation.

Salmonella was detected in 48 percent of all food samples. The prevalence was highest in meat, where the bacteria were found in 71 percent of the samples. The high prevalence may be due, among other things, to poor hygiene during handling, storage, and preservation on farms and at markets. Antibiotic resistance was also common. Of the Salmonella isolates examined, 71 percent were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 39 percent were resistant to multiple types of antibiotics. Genetic analyses revealed as many as 32 different types of Salmonella, as well as a large number of genes linked to antibiotic resistance and the ability to cause disease.

The results show that Salmonella and antibiotic resistance associated with the bacteria are common in the local food chain in Cambodia. This knowledge can be used to improve hygiene and surveillance and to develop targeted measures on farms and in markets. In the long term, this can contribute to safer food and reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance in Cambodia.

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