Skip to the main content

MESO : The first Croatian meat journal, Vol. 28. No. 3., 2026.

Original scientific paper

Epidemiology and serotype diversity of Salmonella spp. in poultry and wildlife: implications for public health in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sajma Huremović orcid id orcid.org/0009-0009-2349-5492 ; JU Veterinarski zavod Tuzlanskog kantona, Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina *
Selma Kunić ; JU Veterinarski zavod Tuzlanskog kantona, Tuzla, Bosna i Hercegovina
Dejana Krneta ; JU Veterinarski institut RS „Dr. Vaso Butozan“, Banja Luka, Bosna i Hercegovina

* Corresponding author.

Full text: croatian pdf 3.659 Kb

page 225-234

downloads: 62

cite

Abstract

Salmonellosis remains one of the leading zoonotic challenges in modern broiler production due to its high potential for foodborne transmission and the long-term persistence of the pathogen on farms. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify Salmonella spp. serotypes from commercial broiler flocks in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the primary production phase and to investigate the presence of serotypes of public health significance. The study included a detailed analysis of 1,810 samples collected three weeks prior to the scheduled slaughter. Two complementary sample types were utilized: boot swabs (n = 1,200) and fecal samples (n = 610). Laboratory isolation and identification were performed according to the standardized ISO 6579-1:2017 method, while serotyping was conducted following the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor scheme. Out of the total number of samples, Salmonella spp. was isolated in 36 cases (1.98%). The results indicated that boot swabs (2.3%) showed a higher detection rate compared to fecal samples (1.5%). The most dominant serotype was S. Enteritidis (80.5%), followed by S. Typhimurium (16.6%) and S. Senfenberg (2.8%). Additionally, 14 isolates originating from wild animals (wild duck, pigeon, chinchilla, and golden eagle) were analyzed, revealing the presence of serotypes such as S. Seremban and S. Reading. The dominance of S. Enteritidis indicates a serious risk to public health, as this serotype is the most frequent cause of human foodborne infections. These findings emphasize the necessity of continuous monitoring and more stringent implementation of biosecurity measures on farms.

Keywords

Salmonella spp.; serotyping; broilers; wild animals; public health; Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hrčak ID:

347475

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/347475

Publication date:

18.5.2026.

Article data in other languages: croatian german spanish italian

Visits: 436 *