A cross-sectional study was carried out for the period of 6 months in selected sites of AddisrnAbaba in order to determine the prevalence and distribution of Salmonel/a in the cattle chainrnfj'om abattoir to the consumer. The sources analyzed were pooled cattle faeces, pooledrnmesenteric Iymphnodes, single muscles from the diaphragm as well as i'om the abdominalrnregion. Additional minced beef from supermarkets destined for human consumption andrnadditinally stool samples from the abattoir personnel were included in the survey. The iso latedrnSalmonella- strains were serotyped and resistance against antibiotics determined.rnfor the culture method, the technique recommended by the International Organization forrnStandardization (ISO 6579, 1998) was chosen. Antimicrobial results were analyzed based onrnthe descrption by A VlD (1987). All the data collected on the pl'evalence and Salmollellarndistribution Irom the samples were presented in form of tables and figures. The Chi- Squarerntest analyzed stati stically whether there was association between Salmollella prevalence withrnanimal condition or mode of transport conditions, supermarkets or storage conditions inrnsupermarkets.rnAnalyzing prevalence and distribution of Salmonel/a from 235 abattoir cattle randomlyrnselected samples leads to the following results: in 47 pooled samples of faeces (containingrnfive samples) 5 Salmollel/a strains (10.6 %) were isolated, in 47 pooled samples of mesentericrnIymphnodes there were 9 strains (19.6 %). In 235 single samples of the abdominal (obliquernand transverse muscle) 23 (9.8 %) and in 235 diaphragmatic muscles 28 Salmonella werernfound (11.9 %). From 300 stool samples of the abattoir personnel in 18 cases (6.0 %)rnSalmollella were isolated. Minced beef from the 22 supermarkets with an overall of 330rnsamples contai ned in 26 of the units (7.9 %) Salmollella cases.rnIn the entire study, 98 surviving Salmollel/a strains were serotyped and identified as 27rnS. Anatum, 53 S. Dublin, 5 S. Meleagridis, 1 S. Muenchen, 9 S. Saintpaul alld 3 S. roughrnform. From the pooled samples of faeces 4 S. Dublin and I S. Muenchen, of the pooledrnsamples of mesenteric Iympllllodes 3 S. Analum and 2 S. Dubl in have been found. In singlernsamples of abdominal muscl es 18 S. Dublin and 3 S Anatum and in diaphragmatic musclernsamples 2 1 S. Dublin and 2 S. Anatum occurred. The cattle specific S. Dublin was the mostrndominant serovar in all the cattle samples. The 18 Salmollel/a iso lates from the abaltoirrnpersonnel consisted of 7 S. Aantum, 4 S. Dublin, 5 S. Meleagridis and 2 Salmonella roughforms. In this case S. Allalllll/ was the most predomi nant serovar fo llowed by S. Meleagridisrnwhich was never iso lated from the cattle chain. From minced beef 26 Salmol/ella strains wererncultivated comprising 12 S. Anatum, 4 S. Dublin, 9 S. Saintpaul and 1 S. rough form.rn3 Salmonella serotypes, (2 S. Anatum, I S. Dublin and 6 S. Saintpaul) originated fi'om Kalitirnabatloir. In this of Kara abattoir all 3 strains belonged to S. Saintpaul. In llIinced meatrnoriginating from Addis Ababa lOS. Anatum, 3 S. Dublin and I S. rough form but nornS. Saintpaul were found. In all the samples of Addis Ababa abattoir (faeces, mesentericrnI ymphnodes, beef cuts and minced meat) no S. Saintpaul was detected neither.rnThe 98 Salmonella isolates were tested for resistance against the seventeen antibioti cs. Thisrnresult is an indication of rarely using antimicrobial agents in Ethiopian cattle, hence no drugrnresistance was observed during the antimicrobial tests.rnLow prevalence of Salmonella in the li ving cattle, indicated by low isolation rates from faecesrnand Iymphnodes, at one hand and high Salmonella prevalence in samples of beef cutsrn(abdominal and diaphragmatic muscles) on the other hand lead to the conclusion that therernmust have been severe contamination during the skinning process as a resu lt of bad hygienernduring subsequent dressing operations. To reduce the Salmonella burden to the public it isrntherefore essential to improve the hygienic conditions at slaughterhouse and to slaughter onlyrnhealth animals. In future there should be planned a study containing all the meat products withrna considered Salmonella contamination risk to quantify the total hazard of Salmonellarninfection for the consumer.