enteritidis was recovered from three. The flock owner was advised to dispose of the 

 old hens that revealed the infection. The replacement pullets will be tested with 

 appropriate antigens when they are tested for pullorum disease this coming season. 



Another hatcheryman requested that one of his supply flocks be tested for 

 Salmonella typhimurium infection, since the disease had been identified in some of 

 his stock. One flock of 1,436 birds was tested which revealed three doubtful re- 

 actors, but on bacteriological examination proved to be negative. 



During this past year a serious 5. typhimurium epidemic occurred in a state 

 hospital. The source of infection was attributed to egg nog which was given as a 

 dietary supplement to certain patients. The egg nog was prepared from eggs sup- 

 plied by the poultry flock on the state hospital farm. At the request of the Massa- 

 chusetts Department of Public Health the flock was tested with S. typhimurium and 

 S. pullorum antigens. A total of 5,050 chickens was tested and revealed 94 reacting 

 birds, the majority of them giving a weak reaction. Nine reactors were examined 

 at the laboratory and 5. typhimurium was isolated from two birds. The isolates from 

 the human and chicken sources were typed by Dr. P. R. Edwards, Communicable 

 Disease Center, Chamblee, Georgia, and Dr. E. S. Anderson, Central Public Health 

 Laboratory, Colindale Avenue, London, and were found to be identical. The avian 

 infection was incriminated as the source of the disease in the human patients. 



Further testing in the flock has been conducted and the results will be reported 

 elsewhere. The above case reaffirms very strongly that certain members of the 

 Salmonella group may be responsible for human outbreaks of this disease. It should 

 be re-emphasized that 5. typhimurium is by far the most predominant Salmonella 

 type found in chickens, turkeys, and also in human cases in Massachusetts, and 

 that there may be a relationship between the infections in these three hosts. Sal- 

 monellosis in chickens and turkeys should be considered of potential public health 

 significance as well as a serious problem in the avian species. Cases of the disease 

 identified in poultry should be handled to prevent further dissemination of the in- 

 fection to either human beings or birds. 



Additional S. typhimurium testing was conducted in two other state hospital 

 poultry flocks where there had been epidemics of salmonellosis in the patients in 

 recent years. In one, 3,612 chickens were tested which revealed 11 doubtful reac- 

 tors. Three of the strongest-reacting birds were necropsied and found negative for 

 5. typhimurium. In the other flock, 2,295 chickens were tested with no reactors. 



COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS 



Filing Applications for Testing: We wish to repeat what has been emphasized 

 in previous years: that flock owners are neglecting to return their application cards, 

 which creates a great hardship on the laboratory and prevents efficient routing of 

 flocks for testing. At the beginning of each season, flock owners who received test- 

 ing service the previous season are sent application cards for the next year's work. 

 Applications are processed in the order received from the owners. Also in order 

 that the laboratory may determine personnel needs throughout the season, it is 

 obvious that we need to know what the testing demands will be throughout the 

 season. We hope that all flock owners will make a serious eff"ort to submit their 

 applications early. When the flock is ready for testing, the flock owner should 

 submit sufficient deposit at least two weeks in advance of the testing date. Further- 

 more, all breeding flocks should be tested as soon as the birds are five months of age, 

 provided the laboratory is in a position to do so. 



12 



