Salmonella isolation from reptilian faeces: a discussion of appropriate cultural techniques

A short study of salmonella isolation from reptile faeces is described. The samples came from the reptile house at the Bristol Zoological Gardens. The wide range of salmonella serotypes present in the material, including representatives of all four subgenera, is noted. The important factors in the technique of isolation are discussed. These are choice of inoculum, enrichment medium, and plating medium, use of multiple subculture and serological isolation. If the number of samples available is scanty, an extended technique will probably yield more information than a simple method.