The Detection of Salmonellae from the Big Sioux River Using Fluorescent Antibody Technique and Improved Cultural Methods

The Water Quality Act of 1965 was passed with the intention of enhancing the quality and value of water resources and establishing a national policy for the prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution. The Federal Water Pollution Control Administration has issued guidelines to be followed by the States in developing standards for interstate waters. As an interstate stream, the Big Sioux River must conform to the Federal requirements. Pollution in South Dakota is derived principally from agricultural, municipal and industrial wastes. Dairy, meat processing and mining industries are the most important sources of industrial wastes. Bacterial pollution is the contamination of the water by bacteria, most significantly the pathogenic bacteria such as salmonellae. Coliform densities have been traditionally used as an indication of pathogenic bacteria in the water. Only a limited number of workers have done studies showing the presence of salmonellae in surface waters but none have done studies in South Dakota. This is due to the reluctance of working with a pathogenic organism, the low numbers present in the water and the inadequate methods of isolation. The purpose of this study was to show the presence of salmonellae in the Big Sioux River, improve the methods for their isolation and develop a method for their quantitation