Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease caused by strains of Salmonella. It occurs in animals and man. In both cases it is an enteric disease of varying severity, usually involving diarrhoea. With poultry, however, most Salmonella infections are symptomless.

Salmonella infection is a Public Health Concern

Many strains of Salmonella are zoonotic agents, spreading to man from contaminated food products. In humans Salmonellosis is one of the most common causes of food poisoning.

The commonest serotypes causing disease in humans are Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium. Since 1987 S. Enteritidis has been the main cause of Salmonella poisoning in humans from poultry products.

National control measures, often including legislation, have been implemented in many countries. In the European Union the Zoonoses Directive (EC/92/117) was enacted in 1992 to minimize Salmonella infection of breeders and layers.