DETERMINATION OF AN EFFECTIVE SAMPLING REGIME TO DETECT SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF POULTRY UNITS

A study of the dissemination of Salmonella enteritidis in the poultry breeder industry in the UK showed that the choice of sites for samplin g the environment of occupied houses and empty houses which had been d isinfected after depopulation had a significant influence on the outco me. Increased isolation rates could be achieved by sampling nest box f loors and dust in open slave feed hoppers in occupied poultry houses. Nest box floors were the most sensitive sites for detection of residua l environmental contamination in poultry houses where enrofloxacin tre atment had been used. Floor sweepings, nest box floors, slave feed hop pers, hydrated wall fabric junctions and high beams and pipes were the most sensitive sample sites in cleansed and disinfected poultry house s. The use of universal disinfectant neutralisers,gave good results in laboratory trials but appeared to reduce the isolation rate from fiel d samples.