Salmonella enteriditis serotype Amsterdam in a commercial rat colony
Steffen, E.K.; Wagner, J.E.
Laboratory Animal Science 33(5): 454-456
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6764 PMID: 6358699 Document Number: 202725
S. enteritidis serotype Amsterdam was isolated from the faeces of 10 of 25 barrier maintained Fischer 344 rats in a commercial colony of over 35 000 animals. During the next 3 months a small percentage of asymptomatic rats remained culture-positive for Salmonella despite extensive culling of animals with positive faecal cultures. This procedure failed to eradicate Salmonella and the colony was destroyed. S. enteritidis serotype Amsterdam was cultured from wild rodent faeces on a cracked well head casing which covered the shaft to the well that provided water for the barrier unit; an identical Salmonella serotype was also isolated from an animal technician working with this barrier colony. The technician was asymptomatic, and the organism was cultured on only one occasion. This outbreak was attributed to water-borne Salmonella which apparently survived treatment with a faulty chlorinator.