This work was carried out to study the zoonotic importance of Salmonella spp. as a potential foodborne pathogen. To achieve this purpose, the following points were inducted: 7.1 Identification of different Salmonella serovars from the examined samples • Chicken meat and chicken organs (152, each), 76 cloacal swabs, 20 cutting surface swabs from pluck shop outlets, 140 egg swabs (outer egg shell and inner egg content, 70, each) and 150 human samples were collected from in Abo-Hammad and Zagazig cities, Sharkia Governorate. • Bacteriological examination revealed that 129 (18.7%) of the samples under investigation were suspected to be contaminated with Salmonella species. • Molecular amplification of the invA gene revealed that 29 (4.2%) were identified as Salmonella species. 7.2 Occurrence of Salmonella spp. in chicken and eggs • The overall isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from the examined chicken meat samples was 5.9% (9/152), with insignificant different isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from breast (6.6%) and thigh muscles (5.2%). • The overall isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from chicken organs was 2.6%, it was isolated from liver and heart samples with the same frequency (2.6%). • The overall isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from egg shell samples was 4.2%, meanwhile, none of the examined egg content samples was positive for Salmonellae. • The overall isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from the examined cloacal swabs was 10.4%. • The isolation rate of Salmonella spp. from the wooden cutting surface swabs was 10%. 7.3 Occurrence of zoonotic Salmonella spp. in food handlers and consumers • The overall prevalence of Salmonella spp. in 130 examined stool samples of human participants residing the same localities from which the chicken samples were obtained was 0.8%. • The frequency of Salmonella spp. in hand swabs from workers at pluck shop outlets was 10% 7.4 Identified Salmonella serovars in the examined samples • The identified Salmonella serovars were S. Typhimurium (1.2%), S. Enteritidis (1.01%), S. Newport (0.9%), S. Kentucky (0.7%), and S. Infantis (0.4%). 7.5 Antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella isolates • Fifteen antimicrobials have been chosen during the current study to assess the susceptibility of the isolated Salmonella strains (n=29) to these drugs. • The antibiotic resistance rate for the Salmonella spp. isolates were 100%, 96.5%, 96.5%, 96.5%, 89.7%, 82.7%, 79.3%, 72.5%, 75.7%, 65.5%, 55.2%, 24%, 24% and 7% to erythromycin, cefotaxime, nalidixic acid, colistin, tetracycline, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and ceftriaxone, respectively. • The tested Salmonella spp. isolates in the current study were sensitive to amikacin with the percentage of 89.7%. • The majority of the Salmonella isolates (34.5%) were resistant to 10 antibiotics, meanwhile, 89.6% of the isolates were resistant to at least 5 antimicrobials. 7.6 Molecular detection of some Salmonella virulence-associated genes • The molecular identification of virulence-associated genes revealed the detection of avrA gene in 100% of the examined isolates. • 91.3% of Salmonella isolates were positive for each of sopB, stn, hilA and bcfC gene and 86.2% have mgtC gene, 31.03% have spvC gene. • The pef and fimH genes were only identified in three isolates (10.3%). 7.7 Genotyping of zoonotic Salmonella spp. isolated from different sources • ERIC-PCR and RAPD were used as molecular tools to analyze the genotypic diversity of eight S. Typhimurium and seven S. Enteritidis strains isolated from different sources. • Using RAPD-PCR, S. Typhimurium isolates (n=8) were classified into 7 distinct profiles (R1-R7). The discriminatory index was 0.9643 and the isolates were grouped into two main clusters and 4 individual isolates, while, S. Enteritidis isolates (n=7) were classified into 6 distinct profiles(R1-R6) with amplicon size ranged from (424 bp - 3200bp. The discriminatory power was 0.9643 and the isolates were grouped into one cluster and 4 individual isolates at linkage distance 12.5. • Eight ERIC-PCR profiles were generated by the number and position of S. Typhimurium DNA. DNA fragments ranged in sizes between 170 and 1300 bp. One small size band (170 bp) was observed in all 8 isolates. The dendrogram analysis of the examined isolates showed one cluster and four separate isolates. Meanwhile, Seven ERIC-PCR profiles of S. Enteritidis (7 isolates) were produced, the banding patterns revealed DNA fragments ranged in sizes between 100 and 1365 bp. The dendrogram analysis of the examined isolates showed two clusters. 7.8 Biofilm formation • Out of 29 Salmonella isolates, 26(89.76%) were biofilm producers. • At 35°C, 9 (31.03%), 11 (37.9%) and 6 (20.7%) were classified as weak, moderate and strong biofilm producers, respectively. • At 25°C, 24(82.8%) were biofilm producers, of which, 7 (24.1%), 11 (37.9%) and 6 (20.7%) were weak, moderate and strong producers, respectively. • At 4°C, only 11 (37.9%) produced biofilm, where 4 (13.8%) and 7 (24.1%) were weak and moderate biofilm producers, respectively. • Significant correlation was observed between different Salmonella serotypes and their ability to produce biofilms. • The distribution of adrA and csgD in 100% of the isolates, while gcpA gene was identified in 28 (96.6%) of the isolates. • The sequences of the two isolates shared 100% identity with each other and with other Salmonella isolates on the GenBank. 7.9 Risk factors analysis • There was no significant association between the demographic factors and the practices performed by the participants. • 94.6% of the participants had no contact with dogs and cats. • Regarding health practices, 86.9% reported they don’t consume raw or undercooked eggs. • 72.3%, 79.2% and 94.6% reported washing of egg shell, cutting boards with soap and washing hands with soap. • Proper preservation of raw eggs and cooked chicken meat at refrigeration was reported by 80% and 85.4% of the participants, respectively. • 75.4% of the consumers used the same cutting board for meat and other types of food.