Correlation of Environmental Temperature, Precipitation, and Humidity with Salmonella Culture Results from Cattle in Virginia

Records of bovine samples submitted for salmonella cultures at four regional diagnostic laboratories in the state of Virginia were used to investigate the association of weather conditions and the diagnosis of salmonellosis in cattle. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for the correlations between the monthly number of samples positive for salmonella culture and weather parameters: temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity. Significant correlation coefficients between the monthly average temperature and the monthly number of positive samples were found to be negative in one laboratory (rs= -0.38, p=0.03) and positive in one laboratory (rs=0.30, p=0.02). The latter correlation coefficient was found between the monthly average temperature and the monthly number of positive samples the following month. The same laboratories that had significant correlation of the monthly number of positive samples and the monthly average temperature also had significant correlation with the monthly average relative humidity (rs= -0.39, p=0.03 and rs=0.37, p=0.004). The monthly average relative humidity was more highly correlated to the number of positive samples reported in the same month for both laboratories that had significant correlation coefficients. None of the correlations between the monthly precipitation and the monthly number of positive samples were significant (p>0.05). The inconsistent directions of correlation coefficients need to be investigated further to find a reason for the discrepancy between regions of the state.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1997

Author dc:creator

• Kanistanon, Kwankate

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Pelzer, Kevin D.
• Warnick, Lorin D.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Roberson, Jerry R.

• weather
• salmonella
• cattle

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-926111839751071

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/37040