A questionnaire study of associations between potential risk factors and salmonella status in Swedish dairy herds

Abstract

In this study associations between potential risk factors and salmonella status in Swedish dairy herds were investigated. A case-control study design was used, including existing as well as new cases. Herds were assigned a salmonella status on the basis of antibody analysis of bulk milk samples. Information on potential risk factors was collected from registry data and from farmers via a questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations between salmonella status and potential risk factors. In addition, multivariate analysis with Additive Bayesian Network (ABN) modelling was performed to improve understanding of the complex relationship between all the variables. Because of the difficulty in identifying associations between potential risk factors and infections with low prevalence and a large regional variation, exposure of potential risk factors in the high-prevalence region (Oland) were compared to exposure in other regions in Sweden.In total 483 of 996 (48%) farmers responded to the questionnaire, 69 herds had test-positive bulk milk samples. The strongest association with salmonella status was 'presence of salmonella test-positive herds

Keywords

Dairy; Cattle; Salmonella; Risk factor; Questionnaire; Additive bayesian network

Published in

Preventive Veterinary Medicine
2017, volume: 143, pages: 21-29
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU Authors

• Ågren, Estelle

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

• Frössling, Jenny

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

• Wahlström, Helene

  • National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

• Emanuelson, Ulf

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Sternberg Lewerin, Susanna

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science
Pathobiology
Clinical Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.05.004

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83736