Comparison of drag-swab environmental protocols for the isolation of Salmonella in poultry houses.
Three surveys were conducted during November 1995 and March and May 1996 to compare the use of double-strength skim milk (wet) or no transport media (dry) drag swabs for the detection of salmonellae in 10 broiler houses. Salmonellae were isolated from 57 of 120 individual wet drag-swab samples, compared with 21 of 120 dry drag-swab samples. Furthermore, Salmonella was detected at a higher frequency with wet drag swabs (66.7%) than with dry drag swabs (40%) when compared on an individual growout house basis. A total of seven different serotypes were isolated from the 10 broiler houses. Although double-strength skim milk drag swabs are more labor intensive than dry drag swabs, double-strength skim milk drag swabs are more efficient for detecting Salmonella than are dry drag swabs with no transport media.
Byrd
J A
JA
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, College Station, TX, USA.
Corrier
D E
DE
DeLoach
J R
JR
Nisbet
D J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002645:Chickens; D003470:Culture Media; D006799:Housing, Animal / Q000592:standards*; D008892:Milk; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012703:Serotyping; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
D003470:Culture Media