ARS | Publication request: SIMULTANEOUS ISOLATION OF SALMONELLA ORANIENBURG AND E. COLI O157:H7 FROM FARM-RAISED DEER FECES

Submitted to: Feedinfo News Service
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 19, 2005
Publication Date: January 19, 2005
Citation: Callaway, T.R., Kotzur, J., Anderson, R.C., Edrington, T.S., Genovese, K.J., Nisbet, D.J. 2005. Simultaneous isolation of Salmonella oranienburg and E. coli O157:H7 from farm-raised deer feces. Feedinfo News Service Scientific Reviews. Available: http://www.feedinfo.com.

Interpretive Summary: Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella oranienburg were isolated from farm-raised whitetail deer. Whitetail deer are raised on farms in the U.S. for both food and sport purposes. Our laboratory performed experiments to quantify the incidence of E. coli O157:H7 in domestic whitetail deer. The results emphasize a need for educating hunters regarding the safe processing of deer meat, and the fact that any food animal is a potential reservoir of food borne pathogens.

Technical Abstract: We report the simultaneous isolation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella oranienburg from two captive farm-raised whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that died of unknown causes. Both deer examined contained S. oranienburg and E. coli O157:H7 in their feces at the time of death. Whitetail deer are raised on farms in the United States for both food and sport purposes. Finding that whitetail deer can be simultaneous reservoirs of multiple human pathogens emphasizes the need for educating hunters regarding the safe processing of deer meat.