Suchergebnisse

The Directive 2003/99/EG of the European Parliament and of the Council on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents demands a quality management (QM) system for the execution of its monitoring programmes. Consequently the National Salmonella Reference Laboratory of Germany performed two ring-trials in 2005 and 2006 on the microbiological detection of Salmonella from poultry feces among all participating laboratories in the Federal States. Salmonella detection was performed according to the EN ISO 6579:2002 standard method which was modified according to the recommendations of the Community Reference Laboratory for Salmonella in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. This method uses modified-semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis Agar as the only selective enrichment. In 2005 twenty-four and in 2006 twenty-two laboratories participated.They received eight identical samples of the contamination levels L0 (no Salmonella), L1 (11 and 16 cfu per 10 g faeces respectively) and L2 (292 and 418 cfu per 10 g faeces respectively). For both years the data of 20 laboratories could statistically be evaluated. The relative accuracy of the respected results increased from 88.8% in 2005 to 98% in 2006. This is as well reflected in the improved COR- and Kappa-Indices. Taken all together the data show, that the modified-semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis protocol is a sensitive, established method for the detection of Salmonella from poultry faeces

Mit Einführung der EU-Verordnungen 2160/2003 und 2073/2005 sowie der Hühner-Salmonellen-Verordnung in Deutschland setzte man sich zum Ziel, die Prävalenz der Salmonella enterica-Serovare Typhimurium und Enteritidis als bedeutende Erreger humaner Salmonellosen in Geflügelbeständen und -produkten deutlich zu reduzieren. Mittlerweile zeigt sich, dass dieses Ziel in vielen Bereichen der Lebensmittelkette, wie etwa der Geflügelaufzucht und -haltung, sowohl in einem Großteil der EU-Staaten als auch in Deutschland erreicht wurde bzw. man ihm sehr nahe gekommen ist. Weniger Beachtung bei der Bekämpfung finden jedoch die Prozesse des Geflügeltransports und der -schlachtung als mögliche Kontaminationsquellen von Geflügelfleisch, die die Erfolge der Salmonellen-Bekämpfung in der Aufzucht und Haltung mindern. Folglich besteht vor allem in diesen Bereichen das Potenzial für hygienische Verbesserungen. Zudem rücken in einigen Ländern bzw. Bereichen S. enterica-Serovare, die bisher von untergeordneter epidemiologischer Bedeutung waren und ein ähnliches humanpathogenes Potenzial wie S. Typhimurium und S. Enteritidis aufweisen, in den Vordergrund. Dieser Übersichtsartikel fasst ausgehend von bisher bekannten Prävalenzdaten der Jahre 1996 bis 2011 beim Geflügel aktuelle Erkenntnisse zu möglichen Salmonellen-Kontaminationsrisiken in der Lebensmittelkette Geflügel zusammen und gibt Hinweise für mögliche Ansatzpunkte zur weiteren Verbesserung der Situation. ; In order to reduce the prevalence of the Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis as a main causative agent of human salmonellosis originating from poultry flocks and products, the EU regulations 2160/2003 and 2073/2005 and the German Hühner-Salmonellen-Verordnung were established ten years ago. A literature review shows that this aim could be reached to a large extend in many areas of the food production chain, e.g. in breeding and husbandry facilities in most EU member states including Germany. Nevertheless some exceptions exist, and there are other S. enterica serovars which have a human pathogenic potential comparable to S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. Furthermore recent publications show, that especially processes in transport and slaughter of poultry can prevent successful husbandry sanitation measures. Especially in these areas a reasonable potential for hygiene improvements still exists. Based on the prevalence data obtained between 1996 and 2011 this review summarizes recent knowledge concerning possible risks of Salmonella cross contamination and suggests potential starting points for their mitigation.

In this study, the population structure, incidence, and potential sources of human infection caused by the D-tartrate-fermenting variant of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B [S. Paratyphi B (DT+)] was investigated. In Germany, the serovar is frequently isolated from broilers. Therefore, a selection of 108 epidemiologically unrelated S. enterica serovar Paratyphi B (DT+) strains isolated in Germany between 2002 and 2010 especially from humans, poultry/poultry meat, and reptiles was investigated by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Strains isolated from poultry and products thereof were strongly associated with multilocus sequence type ST28 and showed antimicrobial multiresistance profiles. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis XbaI profiles were highly homogeneous, with only a few minor XbaI profile variants. All strains isolated from reptiles, except one, were strongly associated with ST88, another distantly related type. Most of the strains were susceptible to antimicrobial agents, and XbaI profiles were heterogeneous. Strains isolated from humans yielded seven sequence types (STs) clustering in three distantly related lineages. The first lineage, comprising five STs, represented mainly strains belonging to ST43 and ST149. The other two lineages were represented only by one ST each, ST28 and ST88. The relatedness of strains based on the pathogenicity gene repertoire (102 markers tested) was mostly in agreement with the multilocus sequence type. Because ST28 was frequently isolated from poultry but rarely in humans over the 9-year period investigated, overall, this study indicates that in Germany S. enterica serovar Paratyphi B (DT+) poses a health risk preferentially by contact with reptiles and, to a less extent, by exposure to poultry or poultry meat.

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica 4,[5],12:i:- is one of the most prevalent serovars associated with human infections worldwide. Two multidrug-resistant clones, designated Spanish and European clones, are recognized as having importance for public health and are subject to control measures in the European Union. In this study, 23 clinical isolates belonging to the Spanish clone were characterized by multilocus sequence typing, multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), PCR amplification and sequencing, and a DNA microarray targeting 263 genes, in order to provide new insights into their origins and further evolution. The derived data were compared with information available from other studies for S. 4,[5],12:i:- isolates of both the Spanish and the European clones, to identify differential molecular markers which could be potentially used as surveillance tools in the control of dissemination of this serovar. The isolates analyzed were assigned to sequence type 19 and to 17 MLVA patterns, with 3-13-16-NA-311 being the most prevalent. Highly similar virulence, metabolic, and prophage-associated gene profiles were identified, but DNA mobility markers distinguished five genotypes. Two types of deletions, caused by insertion of IS26, presumably donated by pUO-STmR/RV1-like plasmids typically found in the Spanish clone, affected the fljAB operon and surrounding DNA. The Spanish and European clones differ in sequence type, MLVA patterns, gene repertoire, and fljAB deletion type. The observed variability supports an independent evolution of the two successful monophasic clones from different Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ancestors and can be taken into consideration for epidemiological surveillance

Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis (Salmonella Infantis) is consistently isolated from broiler chickens, pigs, and humans worldwide. This study investigated 93 epidemiologically unrelated Salmonella Infantis strains isolated in Germany between 2005 and 2008 in respect to their transmission along the food chain. Various phenotypic and genotypic methods were applied, and the pathogenicity and resistance gene repertoire was determined. Phenotypically, 66% of the strains were susceptible to all 17 antimicrobials tested, while the others were almost all multidrug-resistant (two or more antimicrobial resistances), with different resistance profiles and preferentially isolated from broiler chickens. A number of phage types (PTs) were shared by strains from pigs, broiler chickens, and humans (predominated by PT 29). One, PT 1, was only detected in strains from pigs/pork and humans. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) subdivided strains in seven different clusters, named A-G, consisting of 35 various XbaI profiles with coefficient of similarity values of 0.73-0.97. The majority of XbaI profiles were assigned to clusters A and C, and two predominant XbaI profiles were common in strains isolated from all sources investigated. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) analysis of selected strains representing the seven PFGE clusters revealed that they all belonged to ST32. The pathogenicity gene repertoire of 37 representative Salmonella Infantis strains analyzed by microarray was also identical. The resistance gene repertoire correlated perfectly with the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles, and multidrug-resistant strains were associated with class 1 integrons. Overall, this study showed that two major closely related genotypes of Salmonella Infantis can transmit in Germany to humans through contaminated broiler meat or pork, and consequently presents a hazard for human health. -® Copyright 2012, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2012

Pork contributes significantly to the public health disease burden caused by Salmonella infections. During the slaughter process pig carcasses can become contaminated with Salmonella. Contamination at the slaughter-line is initiated by pigs carrying Salmonella on their skin or in their faeces. Another contamination route could be resident flora present on the slaughter equipment. To unravel the contribution of these two potential sources of Salmonella a quantitative study was conducted. Process equipment (belly openers and carcass splitters), faeces and carcasses (skin and cutting surfaces) along the slaughter-line were sampled at 11 sampling days spanning a period of 4. months.Most samples taken directly after killing were positive for Salmonella. On 96.6% of the skin samples Salmonella was identified, whereas a lower number of animals tested positive in their rectum (62.5%). The prevalence of Salmonella clearly declined on the carcasses at the re-work station, either on the cut section or on the skin of the carcass or both (35.9%). Throughout the sampling period of the slaughter-line the total number of Salmonella per animal was almost 2log lower at the re-work station in comparison to directly after slaughter.Seven different serovars were identified during the study with S. Derby (41%) and S. Typhimurium (29%) as the most prominent types. A recurring S. Rissen contamination of one of the carcass splitters indicated the presence of an endemic 'house flora' in the slaughterhouse studied. On many instances several serotypes per individual sample were found.The enumeration of Salmonella and the genotyping data gave unique insight in the dynamics of transmission of this pathogen in a slaughter-line. The data of the presented study support the hypothesis that resident flora on slaughter equipment was a relevant source for contamination of pork. -® 2011 Elsevier B.V