Phylogenetic analyses of Salmonella detected along the broiler production chain in Trinidad and Tobago

Anisa S. Khan; Rian E. Pierneef; Narjol Gonzalez-Escalona; Meghan Maguire; Karla Georges; Woubit Abebe; Abiodun A. Adesiyun

Poultry Science (Feb 2023)

Phylogenetic analyses of Salmonella detected along the broiler production chain in Trinidad and Tobago

Anisa S. Khan,
Rian E. Pierneef,
Narjol Gonzalez-Escalona,
Meghan Maguire,
Karla Georges,
Woubit Abebe,
Abiodun A. Adesiyun

Affiliations

Anisa S. Khan: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Rian E. Pierneef: Agricultural Research Council-Biotechnology Platform, Pretoria 0110, South Africa
Narjol Gonzalez-Escalona: Division of Microbiology, Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, USA
Meghan Maguire: Division of Microbiology, Office of Regulatory Science, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD, USA
Karla Georges: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Woubit Abebe: Department of Pathobiology, Center for Food Animal Health, Food Safety and Food Defense, Tuskegee University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
Abiodun A. Adesiyun: School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago; Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0110, South Africa; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 102, no. 2
p. 102322

Abstract

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ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to determine the phylogenies of Salmonella strains isolated from cross-sectional studies conducted at hatcheries, broiler farms, processing plants, and retail outlets (broiler production chain) in Trinidad and Tobago over 4 yr (2016–2019). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to characterize Salmonella isolates. Core genome phylogenies of 8 serovars of public health significance were analyzed for similarities in origin and relatedness. In addition, Salmonella strains isolated from human salmonellosis cases in Trinidad were analyzed for their relatedness to the isolates detected along the broiler production chain. The common source of these isolates of diverse serovars within farms, within processing plants, between processing plants and retail outlets, and among farm-processing plant-retail outlet continuum was well-supported (bootstrap value >70%) by the core genome phylogenies for the respective serovars. Also, genome analyses revealed clustering of Salmonella serovars of regional (intra-Caribbean) and international (extra-Caribbean) origin. Similarly, strains of S. Enteritidis and S. Infantis isolated from human clinical salmonellosis in 2019 from Trinidad and Tobago clustered with our processing plant isolates recovered in 2018. This study is the first phylogenetic analysis of Salmonella isolates using WGS from the broiler industry in the Caribbean region. The use of WGS confirmed the genetic relatedness and transmission of Salmonella serovars contaminating chickens in broiler processing, and retailing in the country, with zoonotic and food safety implications for humans.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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