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Chapter 1<br />

rapidly throughout Europe. In total 163 cases <strong>of</strong> the outbreak strain <strong>of</strong> S.<br />

Agona SAGOXB.0066 were reported involving 10 countries over a 10 month<br />

period including eleven cases in <strong>Ireland</strong>, 143 cases in the UK [England<br />

(n=96), Wales (n=11), Northern <strong>Ireland</strong> (n=2), Scotland (n=34)] and nine<br />

cases in mainland Europe [France (n=3), Luxembourg (n=2), Sweden (n=2),<br />

Finland (n=1) and Austria (n=1)] . The infection was quite severe as 25<br />

patients were hospitalized and 2 elderly patients died [57-58].<br />

Through an investigation <strong>of</strong> previous S. Agona isolates, it was noted that<br />

the outbreak strain SAGOXB.0066 had been circulating in <strong>Ireland</strong> for the<br />

previous 3 years and was associated with one sporadic human<br />

salmonellosis case reported in 2005. In 2005, the outbreak strain had<br />

previously been found in a poultry processing plant with additional strains<br />

found in broiler carcasses and the poultry farm that supplied the poultry<br />

processing plant. The outbreak strain was also identified in milk filter<br />

residues in cork in 2003 and in goat’s milk filters in Monaghan in 2005 [58].<br />

Even though the outbreak strain has been detected in the food chain for 3<br />

years, there were no outbreaks prior to 2008. The outbreak strain was also<br />

detected in river water samples during the outbreak [57-58].<br />

1.12.2.2. The variant strain – remnants <strong>of</strong> SAGOXB.0066<br />

Continuous environmental swabbing performed both inside and outside<br />

the plant revealed a variant <strong>of</strong> the strain was persisting in drains <strong>of</strong> the<br />

plant for an extended period <strong>of</strong> time despite intensive cleaning and<br />

disinfection (personal communication with members <strong>of</strong> the investigation<br />

team [58]). The persistence <strong>of</strong> Salmonella (including S. Agona), despite<br />

intensive cleaning may be indicative <strong>of</strong> bi<strong>of</strong>ilm formation [56]. The<br />

differences in strains between the outbreak strain and the variant are<br />

visible through PFGE, see image provided by the NSSLRL (see appendix 3).<br />

1.13. S. Typhimurium and “S. Typhimurium-like” strains<br />

Page<br />

16

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