Preliminary survey on Salmonella prevalence at Bissau slaughterhouse (Guinea-Bissau)

Abstract

Considering the importance of Salmonella as a mortality and morbidity agent, in particular in children, a study on Salmonella prevalence was performed in collaboration with the Guinea-Bissau authorities through an epidemiologjcal survey at Bissau slaughterhouse. The prevalence rate in 117 bovines slaughtered and approved for human consumption was 13.7 %, with 8.5 % sampled in the intestine and 5.1 % in the gallbladder. Rectal swabbing in 74 live animals resulted in the isolation of S. stanleyville only. On the other hand, no strain was found in hepatic lymphnodes. These strains, some of them pathogenic for humans, are mostly called “exotic”: S. bargny, S. brazzaville, S. virchow, S. rubislaw, S. brazil, S. calabar, S. havana, S. hull, S. marseille, S. shipely, S. Uppsala, S. ll4, l2;l,w;e,n,x. A new serotype is described: S. 28;i,m,t:- . Isolated from the caecal content, it had MSHA fimbriae (++++) and 7.0 Log 10 as DL 50. Most of these strains presented simple or multiple antibiotic resistance. They were more frequently isolated during the wet season than during the dry season.