USE OF ANTIBODY-COATED CELLULOSE SPONGES FOR ENHANCED ISOLATION OF SALMONELLA

One thousand, four hundred and fifty-one naturally contaminated sample s from pig, poultry and cattle farms, poultry hatcheries and animal fe ed mills were examined in a trial in which transfer of small portions of cellulose sponge coated with salmonella somatic polyvalent antiseru m was compared with transfer of standard liquid inocula from pre-enric hment to selective enrichment culture. Salmonella was found in 281 (19 .4%) of the samples using the standard method, compared with 385 (26.5 %) using the sponge method. It was therefore concluded that antibody-c oated cellulose sponges could be a simple means of increasing the reco very of salmonellas from pre-enrichment broths and thereby enhancing t he test sensitivity.