Occurrence of Salmonella in swine in the Latium Region (central Italy) from 1980 to 1989: A retrospective study

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Abstract
An extensive survey was carried out on 849 biological samples (dead animals, organs and viscera, faeces, and rectal swabs) from pigs in the Latium Region (Central Italy) throughout the years 1980–1989. In total 46 of the samples (5.4%) were found to be bacteriologically positive for salmonellae. Among dead animals, typical gross lesions were observed in 6 clinically infected animals. As far as serotypes are concerned 11 different ones were isolated with a predominance of Salmonella typhimurium (26.1%), S. anatum (21.7%), S. bovis‐morbificans (15.2%), and S. heidelberg (10.8%). According to Kauffmann‐White's classification scheme, 39.1% of the isolated strains belonged to serogroup B, 13% to serogroup C 1, 17.4% tot serogroup C2, 6.5% to serogroup D, and 23.9% to serogroup E1. In conclusion, the authors speculate that the relatively low Salmonella isolation frequency (5.4%) reported in this study was not dependent upon the cultural procedures used since different enrichment and plating methods were used, but rather upon the great number of rural‐type herds which were investigated over the decade compared to industrial‐type herds. Otherfactors such as stress conditions, which are particularly pronounced in industrial‐type herds, and overall climatic situations, which tend to be characterised by warm, dry and long summers in the Latium Region, are also considered in this respect.