SUMMARYA total of 574 samples, of seven different types, were examined for the presence of salmonellas. All the specimens were pre-enriched in buffered peptone water and enriched in Rappaport-Vassiliadis medium (RV medium). In one trial 01 ml of pre-enrichment culture of 497 samples (79 chicken carcasses, 228 specimens of minced meat, 100 pork sausages, 19 samples of dried powdered chicken meat, 11 specimens of faeces of healthy pigs and 60 samples of sewage polluted natural sea water) was seeded to 10 ml as well as to 100 ml of RV medium. With the first inoculum (ratio 01::10), 111 samples were found to contain salmonellas, while with the second inoculum (ratio 01: 100), only 102 positive samples were detected. This difference is marginally significant (P < 0 05). In another trial, 0 1 ml, 0-2 ml and 0.5 ml of pre-enrichment culture of 162 specimens (71 chicken carcasses, 40 samples of sewage polluted sea water and 51 samples of sewage polluted river water) were in turn introduced to 10 ml of RV medium. With the 0.1 ml inoculum 93 positive samples were detected, while with the 0-2 and 0 5 ml inocula 93 and 88 positive samples were found. The differences are not statistically significant. In these trials the growth of competing organisms was minimal with ratios of inocula 01: 10 or 0-1:100.

After pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water, 376 samples from chicken carcasses, minced meat, pork sausages, faeces of healthy pigs and sewage-polluted seawater were enriched in Rappaport--Vassiliadis medium prepared either 4 d or 6-7 months before use. It was observed that the two media were equally effective in detecting Salmonella spp., (82 positive samples with each medium) and in their ability to inhibit competing organisms.

A rapid enzymatic method using chromogenic substrates for the rapid identification of pathogenic neisseria (Identicult-Neisseria, Scott Laboratories Inc., CA, USA) was tested in parallel with the rapid carbohydrate utilization test (RCUT) and the Phadebact Monoclonal GC Test against 198 consecutive clinical isolates of oxidase-positive Gram-negative diplococci (118 Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 76 N. meningitidis and four N. lactamica). On initial testing the Identicult-Neisseria gave a 95% overall concordance (97.5% N. gonorrhoeae, 90.8% N. meningitidis) with the RCUT and Phadebact tests; the corresponding figures after repeat testing were 98% overall concordance (98.3% N. gonorrhoeae, 97.4% N. meningitidis). Two of the three strains of N. gonorrhoeae mis-identified as N. meningitidis on primary testing were also mis-identified on repeat testing. Seven strains of N. meningitidis were mis-identified on initial testing (six as Moraxella catarrhalis and one as N. lactamica) and two on repeat testing (both as Mor. catarrhalis). We conclude that the Identicult-Neisseria is not sufficiently reliable for the culture confirmation of gonococci and meningococci.