Guess Who’s Back: Persistence and Circulation of Salmonella Infantis on Broiler Farms with a History of Contamination

TL;DR

This study shows that Salmonella Infantis persists on broiler farms despite cleaning, highlighting the need for improved biosecurity and disinfection practices.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the persistence and spread of S. Infantis in broiler farms with contamination history.

Findings

Cleaning and disinfection practices failed to fully eliminate S. Infantis from farms.

S. Infantis was frequently found on cleaning equipment, floors, and external environments.

Flocks were often colonized within a week, suggesting water systems may aid bacterial spread.

Abstract

For several years, Infantis was the most common Salmonella serovar circulating in the Belgian broiler sector and persisting on broiler farms. To gain insight into its prevalence and circulation on broiler farms in Belgium, five farms (14 flocks) with a S. Infantis contamination history were monitored during two consecutive production rounds. In total, ten sampling events were conducted using moist sponge sticks after cleaning and disinfection, during the delivery of the one-day-old chicks and during production until slaughter or until positive for S. Infantis. Salmonella presence on samples was determined based on the ISO 6579:2017 standard, and the isolated strains were typed using PFGE. The results showed that current cleaning and disinfection practices were unable to completely remove S. Infantis from the farms. Cleaning equipment (3 out of 9 sample times) and the floor (5 out of 10 sample times) were particularly contaminated. Furthermore, external environmental samples were also frequently contaminated (e.g., mortality containers, concrete driveway). During production, 12 of the 28 sampled flocks were colonized with S. Infantis after one week, indicating that S. Infantis quickly spreads throughout the broiler house, which raises the hypothesis that feeding and/or drinking water systems play a critical role in the circulation of the bacteria. This study gives insights into the circulation and difficulty of controlling S. Infantis in persistently contaminated broiler farms, highlighting the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection and biosecurity.

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