About 16,000 spent hens from 23 farms in the northern area of Japan were purchased in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 to isolate Salmonella in two poultry processing plants. Salmonella was detected in 12 of 23 farms (52.2%). In particular, the serotypes Enteritidis and Infantis were detected in four and three farms, respectively. The prevalence rates in the hens' ceca, immature eggs, and the yolk of mature eggs in oviducts were 14%, 7.2%, and 6.8%, respectively. A total of 23 serotypes were detected. The major serotypes of the strains were Enteritidis, Corvallis, Typhimurium, and Infantis, but most of the strains were untypable. In the same area during 1992 to 1996, Salmonella was detected in eggs associated with four outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis infection and one outbreak of Salmonella Infantis infection. The ratio of contamination was approximately 1%, and the level was estimated to be 93 MPN(most probable number)/100 g in one outbreak. In farms that produced the eggs associated with all of the five outbreaks of Salmonella, the serotype Enteritidis or Infantis was isolated from hens. Farms where Salmonella was not detected were not related to any of the outbreaks.

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