Ambient-temperature primary nonselective enrichment for isolation of Salmonella spp. from an estuarine environment.

A primary, nonselective, ambient-temperature enrichment procedure for isolation of Salmonella spp. is described. The procedure was superior to elevated-temperature selective enrichment for Salmonella when estuarine water samples were examined. Five Chesapeake Bay stations were monitored, over an 8-month period, for the presence of salmonellae. Of 72 water and sediment samples collected, 17 (23.6%) yielded Salmonella spp. Seven serotypes were identified among the isolates. A seasonal pattern was noted for the incidence of the salmonellae. A most probable number procedure, performed by membrane filtration and nonselective enrichment, yielded Salmonella most probable number indices as high as 110 per 100 g of sediment. The results suggest that new methods, such as the one described in this report, are required for isolation of human intestinal pathogens from estuaries and coastal waters.