Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(2): 1045-1050 1045 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.902.122 Salmonellosis in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) of TamilNadu State, India A. Senthilkumar 1* , M. G. Jayathangaraj 2 , A. Valli 3 , A. Thangavelu 4 , S. Gomathinayagam 5 and N. Sribalaji 6 1 Farmers Training Centre, Theni-625 53, India 2 Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-600007, India 3 Institute of Animal Nutrition, PGRIAS, Kattupakkam, Chennai-600007, India 4 Department of Veterinary Microbiology, 5 Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-600007, India 6 MSRS, Pottaneri, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 2 (2020) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com The main objective of the present study was isolation and molecular identification of Genus Salmonella in diarrheic captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) of Tamil Nadu state. Isolation and identification of Genus Salmonella was carried out in both fresh water and dung samples from diarrhoeic cases of captive elephants (n=8), using culturing method and PCR technique. Out of the dung (n=8) and water (n=8) samples, 25.00% (n=2) of water samples as well as 25.00% (n=2) of the dung samples were found to be positive for Genus Salmonella organisms. A red coloured colony-growth on modified Brilliant Green Agar and Colourless colony with Black spot at centre indicated the growth of Salmonella. Molecular identification of Genus Salmonella by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), the amplicon size was 260 bp. These findings in this study indicated the need for supply of good quality water to the captive elephants, in order to minimize the possible incidences of contamination of Genus Salmonella. Keywords Asian elephants- diarrhoea- Salmonella Accepted: 08 January 2020 Available Online: 10 February 2020 Article Info