Background & Objectives: Salmonellosis is the most common food-borne disease in the world. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of salmonella serogroups and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in chicken meat and viscera in Ardabil, Iran.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study done in spring and summer of 2014,260 samples) 160 chicken meat, 50 gizzard and liver) were collected for isolation and identification of salmonella. The technique used in this study was recommended by Iran standard organization andKirby-bauer method was also used for detection of antibiotic resistance.

Results: Amongallthe samples,the range of detected salmonella was 10%I n which the 42.3% of them detected in spring and 57.7% in the summer.92.3% of samples belong to C serogroup and 3.8% of them were serogroup B and 3.8% serogroup D. All isolates show resistance to at least two antibiotics. Concurrent resistance to 2-6 antibiotics was detected in 70% of the isolates. The highest resistance was to Nalidixicacid�and Streptomycin (100%)and toTetracyclin (92.3%), Penicillin (88.5%), Neomycin, Kanamycin and Furazolidon (84.6%), cloramfenicol (73.1%), Ofloxacin (15.4%), Co-Amoxi clave and Ampicillin (11.5%) and Siprophloxacin 7.7%. The lowest levels of resistance were for Gentamycin and Amikacin (3.8%). No salmonella isolates were resistant to ceftazidime, Azitromicin, Meropenem, Imipenem and cefixime.

Conclusion: According to 10% pollution to salmonella and prevalence of serogroup C and salmonella importance in the human&rsquos health, as well as high rate of antibiotic resistance of isolates, applying a health strategy for reduction of contamination level is necessary.