Salmonella serotypes encountered in animal feed additives in Lebanon.

Animal feed-additive samples (n = 300) were examined for the presence of salmonellae, using the selenite-F broth-enrichment method followed by subculturing on Salmonella-Shigella and brilliant green agar with sulfadiazine selective agar plates. Samples consisted of a variety of feed additives: 119 bone meal samples, 77 meat meal samples, 40 fish meal samples, and 64 miscellaneous meal samples. Results of examination found 49 (41.2%) of the bone meal samples, 6 (7.8%) of the meat meal samples and 2 (5%) of the fish meal samples contained salmonellae. Of 57 isolates representing 24 serotypes, 4 most frequently isolated serotypes were Salmonella meleagridis (35.1%), Salmonella tennessee (7%), Salmonella chester (5.2%), and Salmonella senftenberg (5.2%). This study shows a high Salmonella-contamination rate of bone meal compared with meat meal and fish meal samples. Of 12 known positive bone meal samples that were examined, 100% of 25-g samples, compared with 70% to 100% of 2.5-g samples and 30% to 90% of 0.25-g samples and 30% to 90% of 0.25-g samples, were positive for salmonellae.     

Microbiology of normal and seborrheic canine skin.

Quantitative and qualitative bacterial assays were performed on the skin of 15 normal and 32 seborrheic dogs. Nonionic detergent scrubs were made on areas demarcated by glass sidearm cylinders. Quantitative analysis was accomplished by the serial dilution technique, and the bacteria were identified by individual and colonial morphology and by enzyme production. Areas measured on control dogs had a markedly lower total bacterial count than similar areas measured on seborrheic animals. Control dogs had a flora consisting primarily of coagulase-negative cocci, whereas seborrheic dogs usually had a cutaneous flora composed primarily of Stahylococcus aureus, coagulase-positive.     

The "barker" (neonatal respiratory distress) syndrome in the pig: its occurrence in the field.

A new syndrome, characterised by acute respiratory distress and by abnormalities of the skin, hair and thyroid, was the apparent cause of neonatal death in 35 (24 per cent) of 146 piglets sired by a large white boar in four small commercial pig units. The syndrome appears to be of genetic origin, inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Its similarities with the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) of the newborn infant and the "barker" syndrome of the newborn foal are discussed.