Microbial investigation of drinking water in broiler farms for Salmonella and Escherichia coli bacteria using the most probable number method in northern Khuzestan, Iran

Mousavi, Seyedeh Ferdous; Malekpour, Mohammad Sadegh; Ghasemian, Seyedeh Ommolbanin; Gharib Mombeni, Ehsan

doi:10.22034/cjvs.2026.565800.1054

Microbial investigation of drinking water in broiler farms for Salmonella and Escherichia coli bacteria using the most probable number method in northern Khuzestan, Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Seyedeh Ferdous Mousavi ¹

Mohammad Sadegh Malekpour ¹

Seyedeh Ommolbanin Ghasemian ²

Ehsan Gharib Mombeni ¹

¹ Department of Veterinary, Sho.C., Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar, Iran.

² Department of Veterinary, Be.C., Islamic Azad University, Behbahan, Iran.

10.22034/cjvs.2026.565800.1054

Abstract

Microbial contamination of drinking water in poultry production poses significant risks to bird health and public safety. This study aimed to evaluate the microbial quality of drinking water in broiler farms in northern Khuzestan, Iran, focusing on Escherichia coli and Salmonella prevalence. A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2024, analyzing 32 farm water samples and 10 municipal water sources (controls) using the Most Probable Number (MPN) method. E. coli was detected in 59.4% of farm samples (mean: 85 MPN/100 ml), significantly higher than the 10% contamination in municipal water (mean: 0.8 MPN/100 ml). A significant positive correlation was found between water temperatures above 25°C and E. coli counts (r = 0.55, p = 0.03), suggesting that environmental heat accelerates bacterial proliferation. Salmonella was detected in 6.25% of farm samples and was absent in municipal water. The results revealed major vulnerabilities in farm water management compared to the effective centralized municipal treatment. While E. coli remains a reliable fecal indicator, the presence of Salmonella underscores the need for improved pathogen surveillance. Implementing infrastructural upgrades, farmer training, and routine microbial monitoring are essential to mitigate health risks and enhance biosecurity in the region's poultry industry.

Keywords

Drinking water

Escherichia coli

Khuzestan

Poultry farms

Salmonella

Subjects