Abstract: [Objective] The aims of the present study were to characterize the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Salmonella strains in pigeon flock of a pigeon breeding farm in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and to provide references for the prevention and treatment of pigeon salmonellosis in this area. [Method] The clinical samples of liver were collected from the diseased or dead pigeons with suspected Salmonella infection in a pigeon breeding farm in Nanning City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and were subjected to isolation and culture of Salmonella strains. Phenotypic identification of the isolates was performed by Gram staining and microscopy, biochemical identification and serotype identification. Subsequently, the isolates were molecularly confirmed by PCR assay targeting invA gene specific for Salmonella. The antimicrobial susceptibility test of the isolates was conducted by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. [Result] Two strains of Salmonella typhimurium, designated as S1 and S2, were isolated and identified from the clinical samples according to colony growth features, Gram staining characteristics, bacterial morphology, serotype identification, biochemical identification and molecular comfirmation. Both isolates were resistant to amoxicillin, streptomycin, lincomycin and nalidixic acid, moderately sensitive to erythromycin, cefthiophene and rifampicin, and sensitive to ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim. [Conclusion] Two strains of Salmonella typhimurium were obtained from the clinical samples of the diseased or dead pigeons in a pigeon breeding farm in Nanning City, and the isolates exhibited high level resistance to certain antimicrobial agents, posing a potential threat to the health of breeding pigeon flocks in this area. It was recommended that detecting the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella should be strengthened.

Key words: pigeon, Salmonella, isolation and identification, antimicrobial resistance