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Abstract
Bacteriological monitoring of broiler breeder farms, the hatchery, rendering plant
and animal feed mill during 1991 identified a number of potential cross-contamination
hazards, such as the use of processed poultry proteins in the company feed mill and
contamination of egg trolleys and trays, which may have led to widespread dissemination
of Salmonella enteritidis within an integrated poultry organisation. Serological monitoring
of the flocks suggested that, in most cases, substantial exposure to S. enteritidis
infection occurred during the mid-rearing stage whereas routine bacteriological monitoring
of poultry house litter and dust samples, and meconium samples taken in the hatchery
identified infection only after the onset of the laying period. At least 10 phage
types and six plasmid profile types of S. enteritidis were identified in historic
submissions from the organisation including one apparently specific plasmid profile
type that was distributed throughout the various parts of the company. During sampling
for this investigation, most of these strains were not identified, and the number
of plasmid profile types was reduced to a single common UK type.