avian & livestock assay data sheet
Salmonella
NOTE: THIS TEST IS NOT PERFORMED
ON SAMPLES TAKEN FROM BIRDS OWNED OR LOCATED IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA.
Test
code:
B0040 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of
Salmonella
bacteria by real time polymerase chain reaction
Test B0040 is
included in
P0041
- waterborne pathogens screening panel
Salmonella
are gram negative bacteria that occur worldwide,
inhabiting the intestinal tracts of many species
including humans, nonhuman primates, birds,
horses, pigs, dogs, cats, rats, mice, hamsters,
guinea pigs and other species. The house mouse
is of special concern, as it is often a carrier
and plays a significant role in spreading human
and animal salmonellosis.
There are more than 1600 recognized serotypes of
Salmonella.
According to a recent report (http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/vla/science/
documents/science-end-survrep-qtlyw405.pdf),
garden bird salmonellosis is the most frequently
diagnosed infectious disease among the wild
birds submitted to the United Kingdom’s Diseases
of Wildlife scheme. The condition is primarily
caused by infection with
Salmonella
typhimurium, although other
serotypes have been reported. Environmental
contamination by these infected birds can lead
to the exposure of other species, notably cats,
horses and humans. Animal feed containing
contaminated animal byproducts continues to be a
source of
Salmonella infection, especially in
diets containing raw, unpelleted meal.
Humans and animals infected by
Salmonella
bacteria can be asymptomatic, with clinical
signs precipitated by stress. Clinical
infections may progress to enteritis, septicemia
and variable mortality. A high percentage of
survivors become carriers. In humans, acute
gastroenteritis can result in sudden onset of
abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and fever.
Septicemia may sometimes develop in humans,
especially in immunocompromised patients.
Fecal and blood culture with selective media
have been used to identify
Salmonella. However, identification by culture has relatively
low sensitivity and is quite slow. Molecular
detection of these bacteria, on the other hand,
is a highly sensitive and specific technique,
and is also more tolerant of suboptimal specimen
shipping and handling conditions.
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical
diagnosis of
Salmonella
infection.
-
Help ensure that flocks are free of
Salmonella
-
Early prevention of spread of
Salmonella
-
Minimize personnel exposure to these bacteria
-
Safety monitoring of biological products and vaccines
that derive from birds
Specimen requirements:
Preferred specimens: rectal swab, or cloacal
swab, or 0.2 ml feces, or bacterial culture, or
environmental swab.
Less preferred specimen: 0.2 ml whole blood in
EDTA (purple top) tube.
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all specimen types, if there will be a delay
in shipping, or during very warm weather,
refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship
with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping
requirements are specified. Frozen specimens
should be shipped so as to remain frozen in
transit. See shipping
instructions for more information.
Turnaround time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time PCR
Normal range:
Nondetected
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