Comparison of traditional fecal culture, Danish mix-ELISA and SalAD for determination of Salmonella enterica prevalence in growing swine

The goal of this study was to describe and compare serum antibody response (as determined by the Danish Mix-ELISA and the SalAD) to fecal shedding of S. enterica during the growing period in commercially raised, naturally infected swine. Longitudinal investigations of 5 groups of growing pigs in 2, three-site swine production systems were conducted. At the time of submission, fecal culture and Mix-ELISA (at OD ≥ 10 and ≥ 40) results were complete. Fifteen different serotypes were isolated from the 2 systems; the most frequently isolated serotypes were Mbandaka and Typhimurium var Copenhagen. Pig prevalence estimates by fecal culture and Mix-ELISA ranged from 0-48.1%, and 0-84% respectively. Visual analysis of graphical data demonstrates that prevalence estimates based on the Mix-ELISA and fecal culture were similar in pattern throughout the growing phase