| dc.description.abstract | Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease which
causes severe gastroenteritis and septicemia in
man and animals. In chickens, the disease causes high
losses by death during the first three weeks after
hatching, reduced fertility and hatchability,
reduced egg-production and stunted growth in chick so
Many workers have investigated avian salmonellosis.
Their findings have indicated that there is a high
occurrence of avian salmonellosis in many parts of
the world.
In Kenya, S. qalli,naru:n,§.o 2.UL1.QTumand
S. llihimuriui}lhave been isolated from some chickens.
However, available informatio~ shows that very limited
work has been done on avian salmonellosis. Unpublished
annual re?orts (1969 to 1977) fro:n the microbiology
diagnostic laboratory of the Kenyatta National Hospital
indicate that there is a significant occurrence of
human salmonellosis in Kenya. Of the §almonella
bacteria recovered from human patientst §.. ill.himuriull
has been the main isolate.
Poultry keeping has become a significant ag~oindustry
and poultry products are an important source
of protein. Since salmonellosis is a public health
hazard, it was'necessary to assess the degree of
salmonellosis in poultry. To achieve this objective,
a number of faecal, intestinal-content and tissue
specimen from unvaccinated birds from four farms and
a slaughterhouse in the neighbourhood of Nairobi were
investigated bacteriologicallYe A serological
survey of the same birds was also done. It was
found that while the bacteriological isolations
indicated an apparent low occurrence of salmonellosis
in chickens in Kenya~ serologically there was a high
occurrence. Salmonella gall~..lIarllm was isolated from
sick birds while salmonellae in groups Band C were
isolated from apparently healthy birds. Poultry
infected with such organisms could easily serve as
a source of infection in man and probably account for
some human salmonellosis as has been observed from the
Kenyatta National Hospital.
This study, by its design, has been limited to
a few farms and one slaughterhouse. Consequently, one
cannot claim that it gives a complete picture of the
occurrence of salmonellosis in Kenya. However, these
findings indicate that avian salmonellosis is present
in Kenya and that it could cause a serious problem.
Consequently, fu her and extensive work needs to be
done to assess tt 2 degree of salmonellosis in poultry
and especially ir view of their significance as a
source of protein for an increasing number of people
in this country. | en |
