Environmental Impact of Poultry Shop Solid Waste as a Reservoir of Pathogenic Bacteria in Samawah City, Iraq
Author(s):
Abbas Abdulameer Al-Raad1, Rawad Majed Kamel1, Assala Mohammed Al-Khafaji2
Date: 08/10/2026
doi: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8425890
Abstract
Chicken farms and shops generate a lot of organic waste in the form of feathers, blood, intestines and
other types of biological waste. If chicken waste is not disposed of correctly it could lead to severe
environmental pollution and microbial contamination. Therefore, the objectives of the study were two
fold: to determine the bacterial contamination found in the waste generated from feathers of commercial
poultry; and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the various bacteria isolated from poultry
feathers. Microbiological techniques were used to isolate and identify bacteria present in samples taken
from the feathers of broilers and layers produced in commercial facilities. Six genera of bacteria were
identified as present in the analysed feather samples – Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus,
Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus spp., Micrococcus spp., and Enterobacter spp. In addition to
identifying the isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on each of the isolated bacterial
species to determine their susceptibility to a variety of commonly used antibiotics. The results indicate
that the isolated bacterial species exhibited a variety of responses when exposed to the different classes of
antimicrobial agents. Some bacteria demonstrated susceptibility to specific antibiotics but had resistance
against a variety of other antibiotics. The results show that there is a presence of potentially pathogenic or
antibiotic-resistant bacteria in poultry waste and the importance of correct poultry waste disposal
management and hygienic practices when disposing of poultry waste. Incorrectly disposed poultry waste
may help spread infectious microorganisms and cause pollution of the environment. To summarize, these
results provide further evidence that effective waste management systems, adequate hygiene measures,
and control of antibiotic use in poultry production are critical to reducing environmental contamination
and protecting human health from the potential microbial hazards associated with poultry waste.
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