Epidemiological and epizootological aspects of salmonellosis.
In their case report, most of the patients with salmonellosis mentioned consumption of meals containing poultry products, primarily eggs and egg products as a source of their disease. Microbiological analysis of samples showed that in more than 88 % of cases the infection agent was identified as Salmonella enteritidis. This serovar is the most frequent pathogen isolated at poultry farms. In the period of the past five years, 171 outbreaks of salmonellosis were recorded in Slovakia. However, within the group of animal tenders at these farms, no case of salmonellosis was confirmed. The alimentary character of salmonellosis led us to check results of analyses of samples of food and foodstuff of animal origin examined for Salmonella spp. performed during the past five years. The control of results indicated that out of these 228 545 samples of food and foodstuff of animal origin only 0.21% were confirmed as being Salmonella positive and the average ratio of Salmonella enteritidis occurrence in samples was 0.1% per year. A higher incidence (1.43 %) was recorded only in eggs and egg products. Our observations indicated that there was a change in tenacity of Salmonella enteritidis due to its increased resistance, primarily against elevated temperatures including that of pasteurization. An everyday requirement for decreasing the incidence of salmonellosis is based on strict hygienic behaviour "from stable to table". The objective of salmonellosis elimination strongly depends on amending the current legislation as to the establishment of hygienic conditions in complete food chains. (Tab. 4, Ref. 21.)