Toads as reservoirs of salmonellae: prevalence and antibiogram

Of 570 intestinal-content-samples of toads examined, 40 yielded salmonellae, which included 26 strains of S. goverdhan, 9 of S. bareilly, 2 of S. richmond, and 1 each of S. typhimurium, S. weltevreden and S. newport. From 52 visceral-organ samples, 6 strains of S. goverdhan and 1 of S. typhimurium were isolated. Antibiotic sensitivity studied against 18 chemotherapeutic agents, revealed that although the isolates were sensitive to most of the antibiotics, all of them were resistant to bacitracin, novobiocin and oleandomycin. To sulfonamides, erythromycin and pencillin, respectively, 42, 8 and 3 isolates were resistant.