A molecular epidemiologic investigation of Salmonella from a meat source to the feces of captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).

Low cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) birth rates were observed for a long time in a captive breeding facility in which Salmonella, which was possibly present in contaminated beef, was isolated from still-born lion (Panthera leo) cubs. Salmonella, including 14 isolates of Salmonella serovar typhimurium and 19 isolates of Salmonella serovar muenchen, was subsequently isolated 47 times from 378 meat samples at the facility during a 13-mo period. Salmonella, including 26 isolates of S. serovar typhimurium, 10 of S. serovar muenchen, and 11 other serovars, also was isolated 54 times from 119 fecal samples. Only three plasmid profiles were identified in 59 S. typhimurium isolates from both meat and fecal samples. Although random-amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting using different primers in the polymerase chain reaction was able to distinguish between S. typhimurium and S. muenchen and to demonstrate similar chromosomal DNA fingerprints in some of the isolates from meat and feces, the results were not consistent enough to prove that the Salmonella in the feces originated from contaminated meat. However, the predominance of only two serovars in the meat fed to carnivores and in the feces of these animals suggests that the meat was the source of the Salmonella organisms in the feces.