Author : Thongsay Sichanh

Summary : This study aimed to identify the serotypes and determine the pathogenicity of Salmonella spp. isolated from 149 apparently healthy cattle slaughtered in 4 selected abattoirs in Laguna and Batangas and to compare the recovery rate in different culture media combinations. Mesenteric lymph nodes from each cattle were collected and cultured and cultured in four selective enrichment - selective plating media combinations namely, Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth Lysine Desoxycholate Agar (RV-XLD), Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth-Brilliant Green Agar (RV-BGA), Tetrathionate Brilliant Green broth-Xylose Lysine Desoxycholate agar (TBG-XLD) and Tetrathionate Brilliant Green broth-Brilliant Green Agar (TBG-BGA). The proportion of slaughtered cattle positive for Salmonella was 17.4 percent highest in Sta Cruz (30.0 percent) and lowest in San Pablo abattoirs (11.1 percent) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The Rv-XLD media combination had the highest recovery rate of 12.8 percent followed by RV-BGA, 9.4 percent; TBG-BGA, 8.7 percent and TBG-XLD, 6.0 percent. There was a significant difference in recovery rate among these media combinations (P<0.05). Seven serotypes of Salmonella belonging to serogroups B, C1, D, and E and one untypable isolate were identified. These were S.derby, S. anatum, S. saint-paul, S. javiana, S weltevreden, S. lexington and S. thompson. S derby accounted for 30.76 percent (8/26) of total isolates. By the mouse infant test, 84.62 percent were found positive for enterotoxin. None of 26 Salmonella isolates were poaitive for invasiveness using the Sereny test. The results indicate that slaughtered cattle smapled in this study served as sources of enterotoxin-producing Salmonella in humans. Hence, slaughterhouse surveillance of Salmonella and other foodborne diseases in needed to prevent them from reaching the consuming public.