serovar distribution from non-human sources in Italy; results from the IT-Enter-Vet network.

Abstract

The study summarises the results obtained over the period 2002-2013 by the Italian IT-Enter-Vet network, aimed at collecting data onisolates from non-human sources. A total of 42,491isolates were reported with a progressive decrease over the years.Typhimurium was the most frequent serovar up to 2011, but then, it was overtaken by4,[5],12,:i:-,DerbyLivingstone andEnteritidis alternated as the third most commonly isolated serovars. With regard to the sources of isolation,Typhimurium was distributed ubiquitously among the animal species. On the contrary,4,[5],12,:i:- andDerby were strictly associated with pigs, whereasLivingstoneEnteritidis andInfantis were clearly related to poultry. Intriguingly, when the frequency of serovar distribution along the food chain was considered, it was evident thatTyphimurium andDerby tended to persist along the chain, as they were isolated even more frequently from foods than from animals. A similar distribution was found forEnteritidis andHadar. Despite limitations related to non-mandatory participation of laboratories in the network, the data presented are valuable to obtain a picture of the evolution offrom non-human sources over time in Italy.