Background
Salmonella is a gram-negative bacteria and a leading cause of enterocolitis in susceptible horses. Clinical cases range from asymptomatic to acute and severe diarrhea to death. Infection can occur via many vehicles including the environment, feed, water and contact with other animals. Further, it is possible for disease outbreaks and population epidemics to occur depending on the organism, host and degree of exposure. It is also possible for subclinical shedders to endanger the health of hospitalized patients and clinic personnel. It is thus recommended that PCR be used for rapid and specific pathogen detection to maintain biosecurity.1 Microbiological culture is typically used in tandem as a standard of care due to only small concentrations of salmonella spp. commonly being present. PCR has been shown as a more reliable method for salmonella detection than culture. However, 24-hour culture is used to amplify signal in a sample in case pathogenic loads are below an assay’s limit of detection (e.g. enrichment broth).2 This Fluxergy assay targets a conserved gene responsible for invasion of epithelial cells by all pathogenic strains of salmonella. Fluxergy further offers a 12-hour incubation buffer that can be used with the Fluxergy salmonella spp. assay to ensure absence or presence of pathogen.