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Investigation and application of methods for enumerating heterotrophs and Escherichia coli in the air within piggery sheds

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Chinivasagam, H.N. and Blackall, P.J. (2005) Investigation and application of methods for enumerating heterotrophs and Escherichia coli in the air within piggery sheds. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 98 (5). pp. 1137-1145.

Full text not currently attached. Access may be available via the Publisher's website or OpenAccess link.

Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2005.02560.x

Publisher URL: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com

Abstract

Aims: To investigate methods for the recovery of airborne bacteria within pig sheds and to then use the appropriate methods to determine the levels of heterotrophs and Escherichia coli in the air within sheds.

Methods and Results: AGI-30 impingers and a six-stage Andersen multi-stage sampler (AMS) were used for the collection of aerosols. Betaine and catalase were added to impinger collection fluid and the agar plates used in the AMS. Suitable media for enumerating E. coli with the Andersen sampler were also evaluated. The addition of betaine and catalase gave no marked increase in the recovery of heterotrophs or E. coli. No marked differences were found in the media used for enumeration of E. coli. The levels of heterotrophs and E. coli in three piggeries, during normal pig activities, were 2Æ2 · 105 and 21 CFU m)3 respectively.

Conclusions: The failure of the additives to improve the recovery of either heterotrophs or E. coli suggests that these organisms are not stressed in the piggery environment. The levels of heterotrophs in the air inside the three Queensland piggeries investigated are consistent with those previously reported in other studies. Flushing with ponded effluent had no marked or consistent effect on the heterotroph or E. coli levels.

Significance and Impact of the Study: Our work suggests that levels of airborne heterotrophs and E. coli inside pig sheds have no strong link with effluent flushing. It would seem unlikely that any single management activity within a pig shed has a dominant influence on levels of airborne heterotrophs and E. coli

Item Type:Article
Additional Information:© Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Journal subscribers may be able to access the published version of this article. Use hypertext link above to access publisher’s web site. Published on behalf of the Society for Applied Microbiology
Keywords:Aerosols; AGI-30; Andersen sampler; Escherichia coli; piggery; pigs.
Subjects:Animal culture > Swine
Science > Microbiology
Live Archive:28 Jun 2005
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:47

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