30.11.2023

Frontiers in Microbiology | 2023

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) stands out as the primary S. enterica serovar responsible for frequent disease outbreaks associated with food, particularly eggs and other poultry products. This food–pathogen correlation has been established through epidemiological evidence. A recent study has uncovered a genomic similarity among SE strains linked to eggs, indicating a close relationship with poultry strains. Furthermore, the egg-associated strains carry virulence genes comparable to those found in SE strains associated with humans. Researchers assert that SE strains derived from eggs and poultry exhibit close genomic ties, distinguishing them from beef-related strains of the same serovar. The study also identifies a distinct sublineage formed by egg-associated SE strains, separate from those associated with humans and farms. Time-scaled phylogenetic analysis of SE lineages related to eggs reveals two major clades housing the egg-related strains. The study concludes that egg-associated SE strains possess a unique genomic signature, suggesting that the egg production environment may have played a role in the evolution of this sublineage.