# Biological treatments for zoonotic salmonellosis: an evolving therapeutic landscape

**Authors:** Sushan Ma, Xingmei Liu, Min Shen, Shanshan Deng, Chengxiang Ding, Xin Yang, Lin Zhang, Xu Jia

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1769519 · Frontiers in Microbiology · 2026-02-17

## TL;DR

This paper reviews new biological treatments for salmonellosis, a food-borne disease, as alternatives to antibiotics due to rising drug resistance.

## Contribution

The paper highlights recent innovations in biotherapies like engineered phages, probiotics, and novel vaccines for treating zoonotic salmonellosis.

## Key findings

- Biological therapies such as bacteriophages and probiotics show high efficacy with minimal side effects.
- Engineered phages and multivalent vaccines are promising for combating multidrug-resistant Salmonella strains.
- Combination therapies and One Health approaches are critical for addressing public and animal health challenges.

## Abstract

Salmonellosis, a predominant food-borne gastroenteric disease, presents a substantial and escalating threat to global public health, largely attributable to infections by non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) and Salmonella serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis). The conventional reliance on antimicrobial agents for treating salmonellosis is increasingly compromised by the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, necessitating an urgent shift toward alternative therapeutic strategies. In recent years, biological therapies, including bacteriophages, probiotics, vaccines and their synergistic combinations, have demonstrated considerable promise. Advances in antibacterial research highlight the potential of biotherapies to offer high efficacy with minimal side effects. This review consolidates the most current information on the methodologies, mechanisms of action, functional benefits, and clinical research progress of these biological treatments in combating zoonotic salmonellosis. We delve into recent innovations such as engineered phages and probiotics, postbiotics, novel vaccine platforms including mRNA and nanoparticle-based delivery systems, and the development of multivalent vaccines. Furthermore, the importance of the One Health perspective in controlling salmonellosis and the translational challenges, including regulatory and commercialization hurdles, are discussed. It is anticipated that biotherapies, particularly engineered and combination approaches, hold significant potential for addressing the challenge of MDR bacteria and safeguarding public and animal health.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** salmonellosis (MONDO:0000827)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** gut inflammation (MESH:D007249), systemic infection (MESH:D012141), gastroenteric disease (MESH:D005759), pain (MESH:D010146), microbial dysbiosis (MESH:D064806), inflammatory damage (MESH:D018746), abdominal pain (MESH:D015746), splenomegaly (MESH:D013163), nausea (MESH:D009325), cholera (MESH:D002771), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), fever (MESH:D005334), Salmonella (MESH:D012480), enteropathy (MESH:C538273), vomiting (MESH:D014839), deaths (MESH:D003643), COVID-19 (MESH:D000086382), Infection (MESH:D007239), toxicity (MESH:D064420), bacterial (MESH:D001424), intestinal damage (MESH:D007410), NTS (MESH:D014435), infectious diseases (MESH:D003141), septicaemia (MESH:D018805)
- **Chemicals:** enrofloxacin (MESH:D000077422), oxygen (MESH:D010100), ammonia (MESH:D000641), Chitosan (MESH:D048271), EDTA (MESH:D004492), lactic acid (MESH:D019344), agar (MESH:D000362), ciprofloxacin (MESH:D002939), levofloxacin (MESH:D064704), gentamicin (MESH:D005839), acetic acid (MESH:D019342), teichoic acids (MESH:D013682), kanamycin (MESH:D007612), ENDO-1252 (-), hydrogen peroxide (MESH:D006861), tetracycline (MESH:D013752), aztreonam (MESH:D001398), cephalosporins (MESH:D002511), quinolone (MESH:D015363), cefixime (MESH:D020682), LP (MESH:D008070), simvastatin (MESH:D019821), SCFAs (MESH:D005232), chloramphenicol (MESH:D002701)
- **Species:** Clostridium perfringens (species) [taxon 1502], Bacillus subtilis (species) [taxon 1423], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (no rank) [taxon 149539], Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi (no rank) [taxon 90370], Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (strain) [taxon 568703], Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (species) [taxon 47715], Sus scrofa (pig, species) [taxon 9823], Klebsiella (genus) [taxon 570], Livupivirus A (no rank) [taxon 1926511], Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (no rank) [taxon 90371], Lactobacillus acidophilus (species) [taxon 1579], Salmonella bongori (species) [taxon 54736], Akkermansia muciniphila (species) [taxon 239935], Lacticaseibacillus casei (species) [taxon 1582], Viruses (acellular root) [taxon 10239], Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi A (no rank) [taxon 54388], Bacillus subtilis PS216 (strain) [taxon 1315975], Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (strain) [taxon 316435], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Gallus gallus (bantam, species) [taxon 9031], Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (species) [taxon 1590], Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei (subspecies) [taxon 47714], Limosilactobacillus reuteri (species) [taxon 1598]
- **Mutations:** T10S
- **Cell lines:** C50336 — Homo sapiens (Human), Cockayne syndrome, Finite cell line (CVCL_H995), Caco-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0025), INT-407 — Homo sapiens (Human), Human papillomavirus-related endocervical adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_1907)

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

136 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12953560/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12953560