The Isolation of Salmonella Organisms from Fresh Fish Sold in a Colombo Fish Market

Abstract

Of 629 fresh fish (sixty-five species) and forty-two samples of fish-washings obtained from a fish-market in Colombo, and investigated bacteriologically for the presence of Salmonella, thirty-nine fish (twenty-four species) and five samples of washings were found to be harbouring the organisms. Of fifteen salmonella types found, all except Salm. chittagong and Salm. oranienberg had been previously isolated from human and animal sources in Ceylon. The presence of Salmonella in the intestines of fresh fish examined suggested that the organisms had entered the live fish, whilst their isolation from the gills and fish-washings was evidence that the fish could have been contaminated post-mortem. The significance of these findings in relation to hazard to health is discussed.