Prevalence of Salmonella serovars in chickens in Turkey

In this study, 151 (18.6%) of 814 ceca obtained during in-line processing of 28 broiler (Hybro G, Avian, Arbor acres, and Cobb breeds) and 5 layer (Ross, Tetra SL, Isa Brown, and Brown Nick breeds) flocks in Turkey were found to be contaminated with four different Salmonella serovars. Only Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella Enteritidis) was recovered from layer birds, whereas Salmonella Enteritidis (81.5%). Salmonella Agona (7.6%), Salmonella Thompson (10.1%), and Salmonella Sarajane (0.8%) were isolated from broiler birds. Isolations of Salmonella Agona and Salmonella Thompson from poultry are reported for the first time in Turkey. The isolation of Salmonella Sarajane from chickens is the first report in the world. The standard method of National Poultry Improvement Plan, U.S. Department of Agriculture, was used to detect Salmonella from chicken cecal samples. Primary and delayed secondary enrichments (PE and DSE) were done in tetrathionate-Hajna broth (TTHB). Two different agar media, xylose lysine tergitol 4 (XLT4) and brilliant green with novobiocin (BGN) were used to observe, and compared for their isolation and selective differentiation of, Salmonella-suspected colonies. Isolated salmonellae were then biotyped and serotyped. Ninety-one and 151 salmonellae were isolated with XLT4 agar after PE and DSE, respectively. From the same samples, BGN agar was able to detect only 50 and 131 Salmonella after PE and DSE, respectively. The isolation rate with XLT4 was 11.2% (P < 0.01) with PE, and this rate increased to 18.6% after DSE. Also, the PE isolation rate (11.2%) with XLT4 agar was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than PE with BGN agar (6.1%). Salmonella was isolated from 39.3% (11 of 28) of the broiler flocks and from 60.0% (3 of 5) of the layers. The detection sensitivity of the isolation method was determined as 1 CFU g(-1) experimentally. These data demonstrate the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Thompson, Salmonella Agona, and Salmonella Sarajane in chicken flocks in Turkey.