The epidemiology of Salmonella Typhimurium in cattle: plasmid profile analysis of definitive phage type (DT) 204c

• Published in: Journal of medical microbiology Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 483 - 487
• Main Authors: WRAY, C, McLAREN, I. M, JONES, YVETTE E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01-06-1998; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteriological methods and techniques used in bacteriology; Bacteriology; Bacteriophage Typing; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - epidemiology; Cattle Diseases - microbiology; Cattle Diseases - virology; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Drug Resistance, Microbial - genetics; Epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Molecular Epidemiology; Plasmids - genetics; Salmonella Infections, Animal - epidemiology; Salmonella Infections, Animal - microbiology; Salmonella Infections, Animal - virology; Salmonella Phages - classification; Salmonella Phages - genetics; Salmonella Phages - isolation & purification; Salmonella typhimurium - drug effects; Salmonella typhimurium - genetics; Salmonella typhimurium - virology; United Kingdom - epidemiology; England; United Kingdom; Great Britain; Europe; Wales; Typing; Bovine; Salmonella typhimurium; Plasmid; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Lysotype; Bacteria; Artiodactyla; Veterinary; Clinical isolate; Ungulata; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0022-2615; 1473-5644
• DOI: 10.1099/00222615-47-6-483

Bacteriology Department, Central Veterinary Laboratory, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB
Corresponding author: Dr C. Wray.
Received May 10, 1997
Accepted October 1, 1997
During the period 1979–1991, Salmonella Typhimurium DT 204c was the cause of a major epidemic of salmonellosis in calves in the UK. Plasmid profile analysis of DT 204c isolates from England and Wales commenced in 1986 and isolates from all subsequent incidents were examined by this technique. Forty-three different plasmid profile types (PPTs) were detected, of which the commonest, designated type E, constituted 44.6–80.2% of the annual incidents during the study period. Some PPTs, e.g., F and P, were detected throughout most years of the study, whereas PPTs O and 6 persisted for short periods. Until 1984, most isolates were resistant to neomycin, but the subsequent predominant PP type E was sensitive to this antibacterial agent. It was concluded that during the epidemic there was an evolution of new genotypes, of which only some persisted; again, antibacterial resistance genes may be acquired or lost. The study demonstrated the value of PP typing for epidemiological studies.