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Analysis of Salmonella enterica over five years

In a recent analysis of Salmonella enterica culture results (excluding the bovine host-adapted serotype S. Dublin) at the Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) over the past five years, 1,770 isolates were identified across 32 animal species and environmental samples. Bovine samples had the largest numbers with 1,380 Salmonella isolates and 48 different serotypes (Table 1). Equine samples had the second-highest number, with 66 isolates, and environmental samples were the third highest with 62 isolates (Table 2). Snake and lizard samples yielded the second highest number of Salmonella serotypes, after bovine samples (Table 3).

The majority of the 1,770 salmonella isolates were from feces, with approximately 300 non-enteric isolates. Of the non-enteric samples, Salmonella was most commonly cultured from the environment (67), lung (21) and blood (10). Salmonella isolates from enteric sources and the environment are expected due to its primary nature as a gastrointestinal pathogen that is spread through feces. However, isolation of Salmonella from the blood or blood-rich organs such as lung, kidney, spleen and lymph nodes are suggestive of septicemia.

Table 1

Bovine Salmonella serotypes, excluding S. DublinCount
Salmonella Cerro579
Salmonella Montevideo202
Salmonella Typhimurium194
Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:-68
Salmonella Muenster57
Salmonella Kentucky24
Salmonella Heidelberg24
Salmonella Anatum22
Salmonella Thompson20
Salmonella Infantis19
Salmonella Liverpool17
Salmonella Give15
Salmonella Newport14
Salmonella Typhimurium var 510
Salmonella Saint-Paul10
Salmonella Kiambu8
Salmonella Uganda6
Salmonella Brandenburg6
Salmonella Bovis-Morbificans6
Salmonella Meleagridis5
Salmonella Oranienburg4
Salmonella Muenchen4
Salmonella Manhattan4
Salmonella Enteritidis4
Salmonella IV Rough O:z4z233
Salmonella Braenderup3
Salmonella Agona3
Salmonella Senftenberg2
Salmonella Schwarzengrund2
Salmonella Poona2
Salmonella Ouakam2
Salmonella Mbandaka2
Salmonella London2
Salmonella Ealing2
Salmonella Amsterdam var 15+2
Salmonella Worthington1
Salmonella Typhimurium var Copenhagen1
Salmonella Rough O:z4,z23:-1
Salmonella Rough tO:Nonmotile1
Salmonella Paratyphi B var L-tartrate+1
Salmonella Orion1
Salmonella Minnesota1
Salmonella Holcomb1
Salmonella Fresno1
Salmonella Anatum var 15+1
Salmonella Amsterdam1
Salmonella 6,7,:-:1,51
Salmonella 4,12:i:-1

Table 2

Salmonella isolations by animal species from 2015-2020, excluding bovines and S. Dublin serotypes
SpeciesCount
Amphibia - frog and toad1
Aves - Anseriformes5
Aves - Charadriformes1
Aves - Columbiformes14
Aves - Galliformes30
Aves - Other3
Aves - Passeriformes1
Bovidae1
Canidae2
Canine27
Environmental62
Equidae3
Equine66
Felidae5
Feline7
Giraffidae1
Marsupialia2
Ovine13
Pinnipedia2
Porcine10
Primate1
Primate - New World6
Primate - Old World2
Procyonidae1
Reptilla - Crocodilla4
Reptilia - Lizard47
Reptilla - Snake55
Reptilla - Turtles9
Rodentia - Castoridae4
Rodentia - Erethizontidae1
Rodentia - Muridae3
Xenarthra1

Table 3

Number of distinct Salmonella serotypes isolated by animal species, excluding S. Dublin
Animal speciesCount
Bovine 
Reptilia - Snake 
Reptilia - Lizard 
Environmental 
Equine 
Canine12
Reptilia - Turtles9
Aves - Galliformes7
Felidae5
Aves - Anseriformes4
Aves - Columbiformes4
Porcine4
Rodentia - Castoridae3
Canidae2
Equidae2
Feline2
Marsupialia2
Primate - New World2
Amphibia - Frog and toad1
Aves - Charadriiformes1
Aves - Other1
Aves - Passeriformes1
Bovidae1
Giraffidae1
Ovine1
Pinnipedia1
Primate1
Primate - Old World1
Procyonidae1
Reptilia - Crocodilia1
Rodentia - Erethizontidae1
Rodentia - Muridae1
Xenarthra1