Serotypes of Salmonella isolated from California turkey flocks and their environment in 1984-89 and comparison with human isolates.

Serotypes of Salmonella from turkeys and their environment identified at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System (CVDLS) between 1984 and 1989 are reported. Between 1988 and 1989, Salmonella serotypes from turkeys were compared from two sources: from routine submissions to the CVDLS (primarily associated with the National Poultry Improvement Plan), and from a random sample of turkey farms conducted by the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS). Serotype isolation frequencies were ver similar under these two systems. Serotypes identified most frequently under both systems were (listed from most to least frequent): Salmonella kentucky, S. anatum, S. heidelberg, S. reading, and S. senftenberg. This isolation pattern was different from that found in humans in California; only S. heidelberg was relatively common in both humans and turkeys during this period.