Salmonella enterica: Survival, Colonization, and Virulence Differences among Serovars

Abstract

Data indicate that prevalence of specific serovars ofSalmonella entericain human foodborne illness is not correlated with their prevalence in feed. Given that feed is a suboptimal environment forS. enterica, it appears that survival in poultry feed may be an independent factor unrelated to virulence of specific serovars ofSalmonella. Additionally,S. entericaserovars appear to have different host specificity and the ability to cause disease in those hosts is also serovar dependent. These differences among the serovars may be related to gene presence or absence and expression levels of those genes. With a better understanding of serovar specificity, mitigation methods can be implemented to controlSalmonellaat preharvest and postharvest levels.