The natural history of salmonellae in mammals of the tropical Kimberley region, Western Australia.

Screening for salmonellae was conducted on five occasions within a year on mammals from many different habitats in the Mitchell Plateau area of the tropical Kimberley Division of Western Australia. Some data were obtained from reptiles. Forty-two Salmonella serotypes, two Edwardsiella and one Arizona strain were isolated. Marsupials harbour significantly more (1.6 times) Salmonella serotypes than eutherians. Eleven Salmonella serotypes and one Arizona strain were isolated from reptiles. All Salmonella strains were common to the mammalian species. Varanid lizards showed higher prevalence of salmonellae than other reptilian families. Top carnivores (reptile and marsupial) show relatively high numbers of Salmonella serotypes and prevalence levels. Four mammalian species showed marked seasonal variation in the prevalence of salmonellae and three species in the number of serotypes isolated. Pooled mammalian community data for individual survey sites showed similar seasonal variation which reflected the pattern seen in the predominant host species on the site. Significant seasonal variation in the prevalence of salmonella was concurrent in three of the host species showing maximum prevalence in the wet season (January-summer) followed by a declining prevalence to the end of the dry season (October). Prevalence in the fourth species was also high in January, but continued to increase after the wet season (April) before decreasing as the dry season progressed (July and October). Dendrograms of association showed that the salmonella 'community' does not associate according to any systematic category of the hosts and no evidence of such communities was found using other criteria, such as site or coastal vs inland locations. No evidence was found for host or site specificity of given serotypes. Multiple serotype infections by salmonella were common, with up to three present in mammals and reptiles, and they occurred at random. When hosts in coastal habitats were compared with those in inland sites higher, lower or no difference was found in the prevalence of salmonella, depending upon which host was considered. Sites with similar mammals and vegetation sometimes showed marked differences in salmonella prevalence at a given time. Generally a given Salmonella serotype was lost from the host within congruent to 3 months. Surveys for salmonellae should be designed to include a range of species, replicated vegetation types and, especially, be repeated in several seasons. Edwardsiella tarda was isolated twice from a carnivorous marsupial.