Salmonella in Poultry and Health Control Measures in Kuwait

Dr. Siham Al-Mufti, head of the Public Health Laboratory, emphasized the importance of the ongoing follow-up meetings regarding the current situation involving imported fish infected with cholera, as well as the issue of frozen chicken in markets being contaminated with salmonella. In an exclusive interview with Al-Watan, Dr. Al-Mufti said that a fourth meeting will be held tomorrow—Tuesday—in an effort to reach important decisions to contain the situation or resolve it. She expressed her surprise and dissatisfaction at the same time regarding the statement issued by the General Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fisheries, which was published by local newspapers last Friday and exclusively covered by Al-Watan. She described this statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture as hasty and issued without consulting the committee formed to investigate the matter, Dr. Al-Mufti emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture’s statement caused significant confusion at the local level, resulting in many citizens contacting the Health Laboratory and asking: “Should we eat chicken or not?!” In an exclusive statement to Al-Watan, Dr. Siham Al-Mufti downplayed the severity of the situation regarding chicken without denying the rise in the number of people carrying the Salmonella bacterium to “1,029” cases compared to 1,971 last year. Dr. Siham Al-Mufti refused to acknowledge the numerous cases that sought hospital treatment for salmonella gastroenteritis, suggesting that these cases may have been infected with salmonella for reasons unrelated to chicken. In response to a question regarding the reality of imported fish being infected with cholera, Dr. Siham Al-Mufti confirmed that the issue of imported fish being infected with cholera is still under review by the committee due to its highly sensitive and significant nature, without providing a definitive answer on the matter. The head of the Al-Sour Laboratories confirmed that the committee has not yet issued a decision to ban the sale of chicken, contrary to the statement from the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries, which she criticized—noting that the results of the ongoing meetings will be communicated to the municipality immediately and announced for publication in the newspapers. For his part, Deputy Director General for Municipal Services Isa Al-Kandari stated that a meeting was held on Saturday, December 20, 1997, chaired by the mayor and attended by his representatives from the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the relevant municipal departments. on Saturday, December 20, 1997, to clarify reports in local newspapers regarding the contamination of locally produced chicken with Salmonella and the impact of that news on the local consumer market ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. The municipality clarified that, after confirming the absence of an epidemic situation requiring a general ban on the circulation of any type of locally produced chicken—whether fresh, chilled, or frozen—issued by the municipality (which is the competent authority for such bans), no executive decision to that effect has been taken. as there are samples suitable for human consumption whose shipments have been suspended from circulation, just like any other food products. The municipality handles each case individually based on the test results. Accordingly, another meeting was held the following day... on Sunday, December 21, 1997, with the relevant municipal authorities and the General Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries on one side, and local poultry slaughterhouses on the other. The meeting reaffirmed the points agreed upon and clarified during the meeting with the mayor. It also emphasized the necessity for poultry slaughterhouses to comply with all required health regulations. The municipality also clarifies that taking periodic and random samples from production lines at local poultry slaughterhouses, as well as from places where the meat is sold and distributed, and sending them to specialized laboratories to ensure their safety for human consumption is a fundamental and ongoing task carried out by the relevant municipal departments. On the other hand, the General Manager of Burgan Food and Agricultural Industries Company confirmed that Salmonella is a type of Gram-positive bacteria that is divided into many groups with different names based on its composition. It thrives in a variety of temperatures and pH levels, but the optimal temperature for its growth is 37°C. To eliminate Salmonella, a temperature of 66°C for 12 minutes is sufficient to kill the bacteria. Regarding sources of Salmonella, Al-Fraih stated that humans, birds, and animals are the primary sources of Salmonella, but the highest rates were recorded in poultry (25%) and turkeys (26%), in addition to rates ranging from 1–10% in eggs, cows, walnuts, feed, and other foods. In a study, he explained that salmonella disease occurs in poultry due to the presence of bacterial colonies in the digestive tract; when the disease manifests, the bacteria are excreted in the poultry’s feces, contaminating the environment and meat, and the disease is transmitted through animal and human contact. The transmission of Salmonella depends on several factors, the most important of which are: the age of the poultry, as birds are often infected at two weeks of age; infected birds are observed standing on one side with their heads lowered, eyes closed, and sparse feathers, and they tend to huddle in warm places with reduced water intake, reduced fecal output, and stunted growth. As for the transmission of Salmonella, there are several types determined by the virulence of the pathogen. Salmonella Pullorum (Sal) and Salmonella Gallinarium (S. Gallinarium) are considered less virulent in causing Pullorum disease and avian typhoid; these two types compromise the oviduct, leading to infection and disease transmission. Studies confirm that some poultry hybrids are more resistant to Salmonella diseases than other poultry. It has been shown that day-old chicks possess temporary immunity to the disease; however, when administered a high dose via drinking water, the disease spreads throughout the digestive and respiratory systems. Studies have shown that if there is a layer of bacteria that competes with Salmonella on the wall of the digestive tract—especially when the bacteria is transmitted from adult poultry to young poultry—it prevents the formation of Salmonella colonies on the digestive tract lining. Al-Fraih stated that even if the flock becomes infected, good management can halt disease transmission through several methods, the most important of which are thorough cleaning by professional technicians according to a technical program, importing day-old chicks from reliable sources in countries that issue certificates confirming the mothers are free from Salmonella serotypes such as S. Typhimurium and S.Enteritidis, and complete control of rodents within the house, as well as birds, pigeons, and insects; selecting guaranteed-quality feed; ensuring the cleanliness of silos, storage methods, and transportation; monitoring and sterilizing drinking water; ensuring the cleanliness and integrity of the tank; and controlling the monitoring of hatching eggs and chicks at hatching to ensure the disease is not transmitted. Humans and Salmonella: However, Salmonella infection is not considered serious, as evidenced by the funding of research on Salmonella treatment by the U.U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which had allocated $3.5 million annually for several years, was halted by the relevant authorities in 1996. This is a full acknowledgment by the largest government agency in the United States that the disease is not considered very dangerous. Achieving complete protection against infection with (S.E.), is considered impossible, costly, and requires a very long period of time; it cannot be controlled through the enforcement of laws. The ideal solution is cooperation between government agencies, research centers, poultry breeding companies, poultry farming companies, and poultry meat processing plants. Al-Fraih stated that the relevant authorities in Kuwait should: monitor imports of frozen chicken, inspect all feed, and verify that chicks and hatching eggs originate from countries with strict laws to combat Salmonella. He also advised poultry farmers to reduce reliance on a single import source, particularly for hatching eggs. He recommended introducing training courses for all poultry farmers on modern methods for cleaning and disinfecting incubators and poultry houses. Additionally, he suggested seeking foreign expertise to determine analytical methods and provide advice to poultry producers, particularly regarding the use of the HACCP