[The occurrence of listeria encephalitis in cattle in a loose housing after the use of litter, infected with listeria bacteria, from a broiler farm. To what extent do listeria bacteria occur in the gut contents of broilers (author's transl)].

In a loose housing, four cows had to be slaughtered as an emergency measure within a few weeks because of symptoms of encephalitis. Listeria monocytogenes of type 4 b were isolated both from the brains of these cows and from the litter previously spread in the cow stables, which was obtained from a broiler farm. At the same time an investigation of the occurrence of Listeria bacteria in the faeces/gut contents of broilers was undertaken. From the contents of 2373 intestines, representing 0.1 per cent of about 2,300,000 broilers from 146 farms, Listeria monocytogenes were isolated in 4.1 per cent of the birds. The infection occurred on six broiler farms, two of them exhibited recidivation. Listeria monocytogenes of type 4 b were involved three times, type 1 was concerned on two farms, and one strain could not be typed.