title: Survey of Salmonella contamination in chicken layer farms in three Caribbean countries.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the demography, management, and production practices on layer chicken farms in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia and the frequency of risk factors for Salmonella infection. The frequency of isolation of Salmonella from the layer farm environment, eggs, feeds, hatchery, and imported day-old chicks was determined using standard methods. Of the eight risk factors (farm size, age group of layers, source of day-old chicks, vaccination, sanitation practices, biosecurity measures, presence of pests, and previous disease outbreaks) for Salmonella infection investigated, farm size was the only risk factor significantly associated (P = 0.031) with the prevalence of Salmonella; 77.8% of large farms were positive for this pathogen compared with 33.3 and 26.1% of medium and small farms, respectively. The overall isolation rate of Salmonella from 35 layer farms was 40.0%. Salmonella was isolated at a significantly higher rate (P < 0.05) from farm environments than from the cloacae. Only in Trinidad and Tobago did feeds (6.5% of samples) and pooled egg contents (12.5% of samples) yield Salmonella; however, all egg samples from hotels, hatcheries, and airports in this country were negative. Salmonella Anatum, Salmonella group C, and Salmonella Kentucky were the predominant serotypes in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia, respectively. Although Salmonella infections were found in layer birds sampled, table eggs appear to pose minimal risk to consumers. However, the detection of Salmonella -contaminated farm environments and feeds cannot be ignored. Only 2.9% of the isolates belonged to Salmonella Enteritidis, a finding that may reflect the impact of changes in farm management and poultry production in the region.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. abiodun.adesiyun@sta.uwi.edu.
authors.forename: Abiodun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adesiyun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama 36088, USA.
authors.forename: Lloyd
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Poultry Surveillance Unit, Ministry of Food Production, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Musai
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministerial Complex, Tanteen, St. George's Grenada, West Indies.
authors.forename: Bowen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Louison
authors.affiliation: Veterinary and Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production, Rural Development and Fisheries, Castries, St. Lucia.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Alva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stewart-Johnson
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors.forename: Sannandan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samlal
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, St. George's University, University Centre, Grenada, West Indies.
authors.forename: Shelly
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000382:microbiology; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D017691:Caribbean Region; D002645:Chickens; D004531:Eggs / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D019425:Grenada; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*