Prevalence, quantification, and household-level risk factors associated with Salmonella spp. infection in chickens in Boussouma commune, Burkina Faso

Background: Village chicken production is central to rural livelihoods across sub-Saharan Africa. However, the poor biosecurity and hygiene observed in the chicken flocks, coupled with the limited access of farmers to veterinary services, provide favorable conditions for the persistence and transmission of zoonotic pathogens such as <i>Salmonella</i> spp. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of <i>Salmonella</i> in village chicken flocks; quantify fecal bacterial loads; and identify household – and flock-level risk factors associated with <i>Salmonella</i> spp. infection in the Boussouma commune in rural Burkina Faso.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 73 poultry-keeping households. Cecal contents were collected from 292 indigenous chickens following humane euthanasia. Laboratory analysis was carried out using the ISO 6579:2012 standard methods. Quantification of <i>Salmonella</i> spp. In fecal matters, it was done using the Most Probable Number (MPN) method. Structured household interviews captured data on poultry management, hygiene practices, flock characteristics, and household demographics. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used to assess associations between household- and flock-level practices with <i>Salmonella</i> spp. presence and bacterial load.

Results: The animal-level prevalence of <i>Salmonella</i> spp. in chicken faeces was 57.2% (95% CI: 51.5–62.9). <i>Salmonella</i> spp. loads in faeces ranged from 0.03 to 10.99 MPN/g (mean = 0.63 MPN/g). In multivariate logistic regression, lack of access to veterinary care (OR = 3.77; p = 0.001), on-site accumulation of poultry manure (OR = 5.61; p = 0.011), and burial of dead chickens within the household compound (OR = 1.92; p = 0.024) were associated with increased odds of infection. Protective factors included improved access to water (OR = 0.46; p = 0.020) and removal of manure from the household environment (OR = 0.44; p = 0.013). Chickens from male-headed households had lower odds of infection (OR = 0.22; p = 0.029). Higher <i>Salmonella</i> spp. loads were associated with poor hygiene, limited water access, and lack of veterinary care.

Conclusion: The findings highlight critical, context-specific points of intervention for reducing zoonotic transmission risks at the animal-household interface. Targeted community-level hygiene promotion, improved water access, safer carcass and manure management, and strengthening of village-level veterinary services are essential to mitigate public health risks linked to village poultry production.