NAHMS Enteric Microbe Report Example

National Animal Health Monitoring System
(NAHMS) Enteric Microbe Report
Date of report: 11/1/2019
Enteric Microbe test results for NAHMS ID: 999999
Date of sample collection: 10/1/2019
Dear participant,
Thank you for participating in the enteric microbe testing portion of the NAHMS Goat 2019
Study. This report contains testing results for Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Giardia, and
Cryptosporidium performed on goats at your operation. Please consider sharing these results
with your veterinarian.
If you have questions about the accuracy of your results, please contact Dr. Alyson Wiedenheft,
the NAHMS biologics coordinator at (970) 494-7290 or Alyson.M.Wiedenheft@aphis.usda.gov.

Background on Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Giardia, and
Cryptosporidium:

The bacteria Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter and the protozoa Giardia and
Cryptosporidium all can inhabit the intestinal tract of goats and can be shed in their feces. Goats
that are shedding these enteric microbes can have clinical signs such as diarrhea or fever, or
can appear totally healthy. E. coli are normal (commensal) flora of the intestines of humans and
animals, and while many subtypes are harmless, others, like E. coli O157:H7, can cause
disease by producing a toxin called Shiga toxin.
When enteric microbes are shed in goats’ feces, they can cause infections in other animals and
humans and can contaminate the environment. Thus, it is important to take precautions when
working with goats that are known to be shedding these enteric microbes.

Overview of Enteric Microbe Testing Performed and Results Reported:
Fecal samples collected from goats on your operation were tested for the presence of
Salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Campylobacter, Giardia, and
Cryptosporidium.

The presence (“Positive”) or absence (“Negative”) of the microbes in the samples are reported
for each goat sampled. For some animals, there may not be enough fecal samples to complete
all the testing. If an insufficient amount of fecal sample was submitted, the column will read
“Insufficient.”

Enteric Microbe RESULTS:
Individual Goat Results:
Sample
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Goat
name/ID

Patty
Alice
Jackie
Willa
Jane
Bonnie
Samantha
Cammie
Jill
Suzy
Mel
678
679
680
681
Jasper
Katie
Fannie
Helen
Lemon
Rascal
Trisha
Vicki
Wendy
Apple

Salmonella

Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Positive
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative

STEC
E. coli

Negative
Positive
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Positive
Negative
Positive
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Positive
Negative
Positive
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative

Campylobacter

Giardia

Cryptosporidium

Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative

Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative

Insufficient
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative
Negative

Enteric Microbe Results Interpretation (if one or more were positive):
One or more of the goats tested from your operation were positive for Salmonella, Shiga toxinproducing E. coli (STEC), Campylobacter, Giardia, and/or Cryptosporidium in their feces on the
day sampled. You may want to share these results with your veterinarian.
Enteric Microbe Results Interpretation (if all were negative):
None of the goats tested from your operation were positive for Salmonella, Shiga toxinproducing E. coli (STEC), Campylobacter, Giardia, and/or Cryptosporidium in their feces on the
day sampled. Fecal microbes can be shed intermittently, therefore a negative test result does
not mean your goats will never shed these microbes. If any of your goats experience clinical
signs consistent with an enteric microbe infection, you may wish to consult your veterinarian
about submitting additional samples for testing.