Iowa State University researchers develop oral fluid method for Salmonella detection in pigs

Researchers at Iowa State University have evaluated a new method for detecting and characterizing Salmonella in commercial finishing pigs using oral fluids. The study, conducted across three commercial sites in Iowa between February and May 2025, aimed to provide an alternative to traditional fecal sampling, which can be difficult to scale in large production systems.

The research utilized sequential enrichment, bacteriological culture, and multiplex PCR. While direct PCR testing of raw samples failed to detect the pathogen, the study demonstrated that Salmonella could be successfully detected in both oral fluids and feces following the enrichment process, highlighting the necessity of enrichment for molecular detection in oral fluids.