Comparison of microbiological, pathological, and zootechnical aspects between broiler chickens and turkeys challenged with Salmonella Heidelberg

Abstract

Salmonella remains the second most common cause of gastrointestinal illness in the United States, European Union and other regions of the globe. In the food chain, poultry, especially turkeys and chickens, are considered significant contributors to salmonellosis in humans, as their intestinal tracts are often colonized with Salmonella. Due to changes in the prevalence of serovars, Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) has gained prominence, especially in the United States and Brazil, where outbreaks have occurred in recent years. The transmission of salmonella can occur by different routes, whether by infected breeding flocks, previously infected flocks, contaminated food or water. Thus, eliminating the bacteria from the installations can be a difficult task. In this sense, several countries have implemented salmonella control programs on poultry farms, in order to reduce its presence. Our study demonstrated that, despite the similarity between bird species and their rearing systems, turkeys are more sensitive to the Heidelberg serovar, especially in relation to microbiological contamination of internal organs and elimination of the agent into the environment. This information is extremely relevant for the poultry industry, enabling it to improve biosecurity programs in this species.