Belgium
27 August 2010
All Salmonella isolates obtained in the context of official sanitary programmes in the primary production are analysed at CODA - CERVA. In 2009, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain organised programmes in poultry breeders, and in layers and broilers before slaughter. In addition, most Salmonella that were isolated for diagnostic reasons from food producing animals, companion animals or other, or strains obtained during field research, were also sent to the reference laboratory for serotyping.
In 2009, 2,132 Salmonella strains were typed, which is about 13% less than in the previous year (n=2,446). Most Salmonella strains originated from poultry (53.6%) and from pigs (25.1%).
Serotypes Typhimurium (22.7%) Enteritidis (14.9%) and Paratyphi B (11.4%) were most abundant among the isolates analysed.
Poultry isolates: In total 1,142 Salmonella strains from poultry origin were analysed in 2009, which is 20% more than in 2008. The proportions of serotypes Enteritidis (27.6%; 36.0% in 2008) and to a lesser extent Typhimurium (6.7%; 9.3% in 2008) decreased remarkably, whereas those of S. Paratyphi B (20.2% and 8.8% in 2009 and 2008, respectively) increased significantly. Also other serotypes were more readily typed, i.e. S. Mbandaka (2.4% in 2008; 4.0% in 2009), S. Agona (2.7% in 2008, 3.9% in 2009) and S. Livingstone (2.4% in 2008, 3.9% in 2009).
The origin of 631 Salmonella poultry isolates was known in more detail. Thirty-four strains were from breeders, of which 9, 7 and 5 isolates belonged to serotypes Senftenberg, Typhimurium and Hadar, respectively. The majority of layer isolates (n=122) were S. Enteritidis (59.0%), but also serotypes Infantis (8.2%), Typhimurium and Livingstone (both 4.1%) were found. One S. Gallinarum strain was typed in 2009. The majority of broiler isolates (n=192) were S. Paratyphi B (32.3%), but also Hadar (9.9%), Agona (7.8%), Minnesota (5.7%) and Virchow (5.7%) were frequently identified. Finally, isolates from spent hens (n=283) belonged often to S. Enteritidis (66.8%) and to a minor extend to S. Paratyphi B (6.7%).