Detection of Salmonella strains and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feces of small ruminants and their isolation with various media.

ABSTRACT

Salmonella strains and Escherichia coli O157H7 were detected in 17 and 5 small ruminants in Virginia, respectively, of 287 tested. Background microflora interfered with the fecal analysis. The combination of Salmonella enzyme immunoassay (EIA) detection and xylose-lysine-deoxycholate agar isolation was satisfactory. Modifying enrichment to a 1100 dilution enabled effective E. coli O157H7 detection by EIA and isolation by sorbitol-MacConkey agar with cefixime-tellurite.