Emergence, Dissemination and Antimicrobial Resistance of the Main Poultry-Associated Salmonella Serovars in Brazil

Simple Summary Salmonellosis is a human and animal disease caused by Salmonella, a bacterial genus classified into different species, subspecies, and serological variants (serovars) according to adaptation to one or more different hosts (animals and humans), pathogenicity profiles, and antigenic properties. Some specific Salmonella serovars can spread more easily in the enteric microbiota of avian species, often causing disease in birds and/or being transmitted to humans through food (such as chicken and eggs). Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has also been reported in poultry-associated Salmonella isolates due to the widespread use of antimicrobials on farms. The availability of comprehensive data on the emergence and spread of Salmonella serovars, as well as their AMR profiles in farms and food products in Brazil (a major producer of poultry in the World), is necessary to understand their relevance in all avian production chains and also occurrence in poultry-derived foods. This article aims to provide an overview of the genus Salmonella and the main serovars that emerged in Brazilian poultry over time (Gallinarum, Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Heidelberg, and Minnesota), reviewing the scientific literature and suggesting more effective prevention and control for the future. Salmonella infects poultry, and it is also a human foodborne pathogen. This bacterial genus is classified into several serovars/lineages, some of them showing high antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The ease of Salmonella transmission in farms, slaughterhouses, and eggs industries has made controlling it a real challenge in the poultry-production chains. This review describes the emergence, dissemination, and AMR of the main Salmonella serovars and lineages detected in Brazilian poultry. It is reported that few serovars emerged and have been more widely disseminated in breeders, broilers, and layers in the last 70 years. Salmonella Gallinarum was the first to spread on the farms, remaining as a concerning poultry pathogen. Salmonella Typhimurium and Enteritidis were also largely detected in poultry and foods (eggs, chicken, turkey), being associated with several human foodborne outbreaks. Salmonella Heidelberg and Minnesota have been more widely spread in recent years, resulting in frequent chicken/turkey meat contamination. A few more serovars (Infantis, Newport, Hadar, Senftenberg, Schwarzengrund, and Mbandaka, among others) were also detected, but less frequently and usually in specific poultry-production regions. AMR has been identified in most isolates, highlighting multi-drug resistance in specific poultry lineages from the serovars Typhimurium, Heidelberg, and Minnesota. Epidemiological studies are necessary to trace and control this pathogen in Brazilian commercial poultry production chains.