Salmonella in Wild Animals: A Public Health Concern

Abstract

Wildlife can be a reservoir of infectious agents for humans and domestic and wild animals. In this regard, widespread Salmonella spp. in wildlife is a problem for public and environmental health. Currently, more than 2500 serovars of Salmonella spp. are widely distributed among humans, animals, and the environment. This ubiquity favors the bidirectional transmission of the pathogen between wild and domestic animals. Moreover, when farmed animals acquire Salmonella spp. from wildlife, the likelihood of humans becoming infected increases. The risk is higher in forest environments impacted by human activities or when animals are removed from their natural habitat. Consequently, human contact with wild animals in captivity increases the risk of salmonellosis outbreaks. These animals are often carriers of Salmonella spp. strains multiresistant to antibiotics, which makes it difficult to treat and control the disease. Therefore, prevention and control measures of this pathogen must include both the pathogen-host relationship and the environment, with a surveillance system for emerging and re-emerging diseases from wildlife.