History: In 1885, American scientist, Dr. Daniel E.

Salmon first isolated a bacterium fro m pigs and bacterium later known as Salmonella cholerasuis. Three years three la ter, A. Gartner in 1888 has isolated another bacterium from flesh of a cow as we ll as from spleen of a person died of food poisoning. More salmonella organisms were subsequently isolated from various sources. Habitat: Salmonella are ubiquitous and found in wide ranges of hosts. They are primarily intestinal parasites of man and animals. Frequently found in sewage, soil and wa ter. Morphology: Gram negative rods, 2-3m in length and 0.6 m in breadth. All salmonella are motile except Salmonella galinarum and S. pullorum. Motility is due to peritrichous flagella. Non capsulated, non sporulating. Possess fimbriae. In most specie, fimbriae mannose sensitive, haemagglutinating and adhesive type1 , some species (salmonella gallinarum and salmonella pulllorum) have type 2 fimb riae which are morphologically and antigenically similar to type-1 fimbriae, but are non adhesive. The G+C content of DNA ranges from 50-53 %. Biochemical charecters: Non-lactose fermenter Sucrose is not fermented Ferment glucose, mannitol, maltose and sorbitol with the production of acid and gas. Indole ve, MR +ve, VP ve, Citrate +ve.(IMViC tests - + - +) Urea is not hydrolysed and do not liquify gelatin Lysine decarboxylase positive Urease negative Ornithine decarboxylase positive H2S produced. Antigenic Characteristics: The three kinds of antigens used for the identification of salmonellae a re the somatic (O antigen) ,the flagellar (H antigen) and the virulence (Vi anti gen). Lipopolysaccharide (O antigen) Lipid core Protective outer layer of most strains of LPS highly conserved across serovars, but polysaccharide side chains are highly polymorphic. Memory immune response and antibodies directed against LPS Polymorphic nature of side chains is advantageous for bacteria. Flagellar antigen (H) These are heat labile, protein in nature. Strongly immunogenic. Diphasic variation is the unique feature of H antigens. Capsular antigen (Vi) Heat labile surface antigen present in few salmonella serotype (Eg. Salmonella s erotype Typhi, Salmonella serotype Paratyphi, Salmonella serotype Dublin ) This antigen inhibits the agglutinability of the serotype by homologous O antise rum. It is virulant to mice and provides the protection. Cultural characteristics: Salmonellae are aerobes and grow on ordinary media. On ordinary agar media colon ies re indistinguishable form coliform bacteria. Medium Colonical characteristics

MacConkey agar Colourless to grayish colony Brilliant green agar Red colonies. Some strain of proteus, pseudomonas , and Citrobacter species also produce red colonies on this medium Xylose Lysine deoxycholate agar Pink red colonies with black centers Bismuth sulfite agar Black colonies with a metallic sheen Salmonella shigella agar Colourless colonies with black centers Pathogenicity and pathogenesis: The virulence of the salmonellae relates to their ability to invade host cells, replicate in them and resist both digestion by phagocytes and destruction by the complement component of the plasma. Following adherence through fimbrial attachment to the surface of the intestinal mucosal cells, the bacteria induce ruffling of the cell membrane. The ruffles facilitate the uptake of bacteria in membrane-bound vesicles which o ften coalesce. The organism replicate in these vesicles and eventually from the cells, which sustain only mild or transient damage. The complex invasion process is mediated by the product of number chromosomal ge nes, whereas growth within host cell depends on the presence of virulence plasmi ds. Long chain of LPS prevents the complement components of the membrane attack comp lex from interacting with and damaging the bacterial cell membrane. The LPS is also responsible for the endotoxic effects of infection with salmonel lae. It may contribute to the local inflammatory response which damages intestin al epithelial cell and results in the development of diarrhea. Bacterial cell wall LPS also mediates the endotoxic shock which may accompany se pticaemic salmonellosis. Salmonella serotypes of clinical importance and the consequences of infection: Salmonella serotype Hosts consequences of infection Salmonella Typhimurium Many animal spp Humans Enterocolitis and septicaemia Food poisoning Salmonella Dublin Cattle Sheep ,Horses,Dogs Many disease condition Enterocolitis and septicaemia Salmonella choleraesuis Pigs Enterocolitis and septicaemia Salmonella pullorum Chicks Pullorum disease (Bacillary white diarrhoea) Salmonella gallinurum Adult birds Fowl typhoid Salmonella arizonae Turkeys Arizona or paracolan infection Salmonella enteritidis Poultry Many animal spp Humans Often subclinical in poultry Clinical disease in mammals Food poisoning Salmonella Brandenburg Sheep Abortion Clinical infections: Salmonellosis is of common occurrence in domestic animals and the consequences o f infection ranges from subclinical carrier status to acute fatal septicaemia. Some salmonella serotypes such as salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Galinarum i n poultry, Salmonella Cholerasuis in pigs and Salmonella Dublin in cattle are re latively host specific. In contrast, Salmonella Typhimurium has a wide host range. It is recognized that healthy adult carnivores are innately resistant to salmonellosis. Salmonellae localizes in the mucosae of the ileum, caecum and colon, and in the mesenteric lymph nodes of infected animals.

Although most organisms are cleared from the tissues by host defence mechanism, subclinical infection may persist with shedding of small numbers of salmonellae in faeces. Latent infections, in which salmonellae are present in gall bladder b ut are not excreted, also occurs. Clinical infection may develop from subclinical and latent infections, if affect ed animals are stressed. The stress factors which are most associated with the d evelopment of clinical salmonellosis are as follows: Intercurrent infection Transportation , overcrowding , pregnancy, Extreme ambient temperatures, water d eprivation, oral antimicrobial therapy, sudden changes in rations altering the i ntestinal flora, surgical procedures requiring general anaesthesia. Some of these factors such as transportation and overcrowding have proved to be significant in outbreak of the disease in young animals and in adult sheep and h orses. Salmonellosis in adult cattle is usually sporadic and is often associated with stress.

Enteric salmonellosis: Enterocolitis caused by salmonella organisms can affect most species of farm ani mals, irrespective of age. Acute disease is characterized by fever, depression, anorexia and profuse foul-s melling diarrhea often containing blood, mucus and epithelial casts. Dehydration and weight loss follow and pregnant animals may abort. Severely affected young animals become recumbent and may die within a few days of acquiring infection. O n farms with endemic salmonellosis, the milder clinical signs often observed may be attributed to the influence of acquired immunity. Chronic enterocolitis can follow acute salmonellosis in pigs, cattle and horses. Intermittent fever, soft faeces and gradual weight loss leading to emac iation, are common features of this condition. Septicaemic salmonellosis: Septicaemic form can occur in all age groups but is most common in calves, in ne onatal foals and in pigs less than four months of age. Onset of clinical disease is sudden with high fever, depression and recumbancy. If treatment is delayed, many young animals with septicaemic salmonellosis die within 48 hours. Surviving animals can develop persistent diarrhoea, arthritis, meningitis or pneumonia. In pigs with septicaemic salmonella Cholerasuis infection, there is char acteristic bluish discoloration of the ears and snout. Intercurrent viral infact ion often predispose to severe clinical forms of the disease. Salmonellosis in poultry: Salmonella Pullorum, Salmonella Gallinarum and Salmonella Enteritidis can infect the overies of hens and be transported through eggs. The presence of Salmonella Enteritidis in undercooked egg dishes may result in human food poisoning. Pullorum disease or bacillary white diarrhea (Salmonella Pullorum) infec ts young chicks and turkey poults up to 2 to 3 weeks of age. The mortality rate is high and affected birds huddle under a heat source and are anorexic, depresse d and have whitish faecal pasting around their vents. Characteristic lesions inc lude whitish nodes throughout the lungs and focal necrosis of liver and spleen. Fowl typhoid (Salmonella Gallinarum) can produce lesions in young chicks poults similar to those of pullorum disease. However, in countries where fowl t yphoid is endemic, a septicaemic disease of adult birds occurs, often resulting in sudden deaths. Characteristic findings include an enlarged, friable, bile- st ained live and enlarged spleen. As salmonella Pullorum and Salmonelloa Gallinaru m possess similar somatic antigen, both have been eradicated from many countries by a serological testing and slaughter policy for pullorum disease. Paratyphoid is a name given to infections of poultry by non-host-adapted salmonellae such as Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. These in fection are often subclinical in laying birds.

Diagnostic procedures: A history of previous outbreak of the disease on the premises, the age group aff ected and clinical picture may suggest salmonellosis. At PM, enterocolitis with luminal blood stained luminal contents and enlarged me senteric lymph nodes are commonly observed. Laboratory confirmation required specimen for submission should include faeces a nd blood from live animals. Intestinal contents and samples from tissue lesion s hould be submitted from dead animals and abomasal contents from aborted fetuses. Isolation of salmonella from blood or parenchymatous organs is seemed to be conf irmatory for septicaemic salmonellosis. On BG, colonies and medium are red indicating alkalinity. On XLD, colonies are red (alkaline) with a black centre, indicating H2S producti on. The isolates from TSI agar slant are confirmed as salmonellae using commertially available antisera for O and H antigen in a slide agglutination test. Biotyping is required for serotypes which are antigenically indistinguishable su ch as s.pullorum and s.gallinarum Phage typing is used for epidemiological studies to identify isolaes with specif ic characteristics such as multiple resistance to antibiotics and enhanced virul ence. Eg.-Salmonella Typhimurium DT (definitive type) 104 which exhibit multiple resis tance to antobiotics. Salmonella Enteritidis PT (Phage type) 4 which is found in poultry products and is common cause of food poisoning. Serologcal tests such as ELISA and agglutination techniques are of great value w hen used on herd or flock basis. A rising antibody titre using paired serum samples is indicative of active infec tion. DNA probe can be used to screen large numbers of faecal samples for salmonellae. Treatment: Antibiotic therapy should be based on results of susceptibility testing because R-plasmid coding for multiple resistance are common in salmonellae. Oral antimicrobial therapy should be judiciously for treating enteric salmonello sis because it may disturb the normal intestinal flora, extend the duration of s almonella excretion. In septicaemic form, intravenous antibiotic therapy must be used. Fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy to counteract dehydration and shock. Control: o Detection and elimination of source of infection is essential. o Clinically affected animals should be isolated. o Movement of animals, vehicles and humans should be curtailed. o Careful disposal of contaminated carcases and bedding is mandatory.