Bayesian estimation of flock-level sensitivity of detection of Salmonella spp., Enteritidis and Typhimurium according to the sampling procedure in French laying-hen houses.

A study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of flocks infected by Salmonella spp., S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in 521 French laying-hen farms from October 1st 2004 to September 30th 2005 as part of a European Union-wide baseline study to define targets for Salmonella reduction in member states. The sampling scheme prescribed and financed by the European Commission to detect Salmonella in laying-hen flocks was based on 2 dust-samples and 5 faeces-samples per farm. A latent-class Bayesian approach for correlated tests was used to estimate the sensitivity of detection of reduced sampling schemes corresponding to the 16 combinations of 2 dust- and 5 faeces-samples. For each model the full sampling scheme (7 samples) and the reduced protocol were considered as two correlated tests, the biological principle being identical and the reduced protocol being a subset of the full sampling scheme. As the observed apparent prevalence in cage flocks was higher than in other systems (barns, outdoor, or organic) these two sub-populations were considered separately. Bayesian estimation of posterior medians with 95% probability intervals for true prevalence in cage flocks were 0.34 (0.29; 0.39) and 0.13 (0.10; 0.18) for Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Enteritidis+Typhimurium respectively. In alternative flocks posterior medians with 95% probability intervals for true prevalence were 0.09 (0.06; 0.13) and 0.05 (0.03; 0.08) for Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Enteritidis+Typhimurium, respectively. In cage flocks Bayesian estimation of posterior distributions for sensitivity indicated that at least 5 samples, including 2 dust samples were necessary to attain comparable sensitivity levels to the full sampling scheme. In alternative flocks and for Salmonella spp. 6 samples were required to ensure a comparable sensitivity level to the full sampling scheme. Detection sensitivity was improved by increasing the number of dust samples in cage farms and by increasing the total number of samples whatever their type in alternative farms.

Invoices and farmer interviews for vaccine-exposure measurement in turkey-broiler production.

Exposure measurement in pharmaco-epidemiological studies can be based on various sources that do not always concur. However, reliability is an important criterion when selecting the method used to assess exposure and interpreting the results obtained. An analysis based on invoices might be more informative and more accurate to assess vaccines exposure (yes/no) in turkey broiler production than a questionnaire administered to farmers, which is nevertheless more feasible and less time-consuming. We compared the two methods to assess vaccination exposure in 239 turkey broiler flocks reared in 129 farms in 2000-2001. The agreement (crude agreement and kappa) was calculated, and association between discrepancy and farm and flock characteristics was investigated. Marek's-disease vaccine, Newcastle-disease vaccine, turkey haemorrhagic-enteritis vaccine and turkey-rhinotracheitis vaccine exposures were reported on the questionnaire for 2.1, 27.6, 93.0, and 98.3% of flocks, respectively, and for 2.1, 29.3, 89.4, and 86.6%, of invoices for the flocks studied, respectively. A discrepancy was observed in 24.9% of flocks. A discrepancy was observed more frequently in specialised farms without any other animal production (OR = 3.6; CI = 1.5, 8.9) and when the farmer did not know whether vaccination had been performed in the hatchery (OR = 7.1; CI = 2.6, 19.7).

Risk factors for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica shedding by market-age pigs in French farrow-to-finish herds.

Fattening-pigs carriers of Salmonella enterica are believed to be a main source of carcass and pork contamination at the later steps of the meat process. We did a prospective study in 2000-2001 in 105 French farrow-to-finish pig farms. In each farm, a batch of contemporary fattening pigs housed in the same room was followed throughout the fattening period. Salmonella shedding was assessed on environmental samples of faecal material (taken by means of pairs of gauze socks) analysed by classical bacteriological methods. 36.2% of the batches studied had at least one contaminated environmental sample and therefore were classified as Salmonella-shedding batches. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between managerial and hygiene practices and health status and the shedding risk at the end of the finishing period. Emptying the pit below the slatted floor after the previous batch of sows was removed and frequent removal of sow dung during the lactation period were protective. Presence of residual Salmonella contamination of the floor and pen partitions in the fattening rooms before loading the growing pigs also was a risk factor. The risk for Salmonella shedding at the end of the fattening period was increased when dry feed (versus wet feed) was provided during the fattening period. Lastly, Lawsonia intracellularis seroconversion and PRRSV seropositivity during the fattening period also was a risk factor for Salmonella shedding.

Longitudinal serological responses to Salmonella enterica of growing pigs in a subclinically infected herd.

A longitudinal survey was conducted in France in a subclinically Salmonella-infected farrow-to-finish pig farm to describe the time-course of the serological response to Salmonella enterica in growing pigs. We used three batches of sows and their corresponding litters (n = 31 litters). Among these, 256 pigs randomly selected and individually identified were followed from the first week of age until slaughter. Serial individual blood samples were submitted to indirect Salmonella-ELISA testing. Salmonella shedding was investigated by bacteriological testing of faecal material regularly collected from the sows and pigs and by environment swabs taken from the pens. Caecal contamination was checked at the slaughterhouse. Information about litter composition (filiation), location of the pigs in post-weaning and fattening pens, sanitary events, sex and body weights was recorded. 11.6% of the pigs shed S. enterica; 52% of pigs seroconverted before slaughter. The age-related variation of the natural logarithm of calibrated optical densities (COD) of pigs was described with two linear mixed models. From 8 to 61 days of age, the decrease in COD with age was fitted with a model including random effects of the animal and the dam on the intercept and slope, a batch random effect on the intercept and an individual birth-weight fixed effect on the intercept. The dam random effect was explained by the parity of the sow, Salmonella shedding by the sow during the farrowing phase and the value of the optical density of colostrum collected at parturition. A second model fitting the increase in COD from 61 days of age until slaughter included the random effect on intercept of the batch and the random effects on slope and intercept of the animal, the dam and the pen in which the followed animals were located during the fattening phase and the environmental contamination as fixed effect. In this second model, no relation was found between individual slaughter-bacteriological results and increasing COD values. Considering seroconversion time between 61 days of age and slaughter, survival function were constructed using the Cox proportional-hazards model. Both methods suggested that seroconversions generally occurred during the last third of the fattening phase (from 140 days of age to slaughter), while shedding was observed during the first half of the fattening period. The fitted models suggest the existence of clusters (such as pen and litter of origin).