Monitoring of transmission of Salmonella enterica serovars in pigs using bacteriological and serological detection methods.

ABSTRACT

The standard method to detect Salmonella positive pigs is bacteriological examination of the faeces, but in recent years the use of Salmonella-ELISA's have become available to screen pigs for serological evidence of infection. This study was conducted to monitor the transmission of five different Salmonella enterica serovars (S. Typhimurium, S. Brandenburg, S. Panama, S. Livingstone, and S. Goldcoast) in fattening pigs and to test the feasibility of Salmonella-ELISA, using seeder pigs as a mode of transmission. Serovar dependence in transmission was observed. The Salmonella-ELISA proved to be useful to detect S. Typhimurium and S. Brandenburg in herds but was of limited value to demonstrate S. Livingstone, S. Goldcoast, and S. Panama.