Salmonella enterica

Salmonella enterica

Salmonella enterica is a major bacterial pathogen in poultry, with implications for animal health, food safety, and public health. While many serovars exist, two are of particular regulatory importance:

• Salmonella Enteritidis
• Salmonella Typhimurium

These are included in national control programs (NCPs) and are notifiable in many countries due to their zoonotic potential and links to human foodborne illness.

Clinical signs in birds are often absent, especially in adult layers or breeders, but may include:

• Diarrhoea, depression, or sudden death in young chicks
• Reduced growth rates or egg production losses in broilers and layers

qPCR testing detects S. enterica DNA with high sensitivity from:

• Boot swabs, faeces, cloacal swabs, or tissue samples(e.g., spleen, liver)
• Environmental samples(e.g., litter, dust) in monitoring programs

This test is valuable for:

• Routine flock screening and NCP compliance
• Outbreak investigation following food safety alerts
• Rapid detection in hatcheries, breeders, or backyard flocks

Early identification supports effective control, reduces risk of human exposure, and improves flock certification outcomes.