Salmonella Senftenberg: A Highly Adaptable Serovar Across Poultry Production and the Food Chain

Abstract

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Senftenberg comprises a heterogeneous group of nontyphoidal Salmonella strains frequently detected in animal feed, feed ingredients, feed-manufacturing facilities, poultry production, and a wide range of foods. Genomic analyses indicate that S. Senftenberg is polyphyletic, comprising multiple genetically distinct evolutionary lineages and considerable phenotypic variation among isolates. Certain strains exhibit remarkable tolerance to heat, desiccation, and routine cleaning and disinfection procedures, facilitating their persistence in these environments and potentially contributing to transmission through the food chain. Human infections associated with S. Senftenberg range from self-limiting gastroenteritis to invasive disease, while some outbreak-associated isolates have demonstrated resistance to antimicrobials of particular importance in human medicine, adaptation to plant-derived antimicrobial compounds, and unusual virulence profiles. This review examines S. Senftenberg as an example of how adaptive traits can contribute to the persistence of Salmonella under environmental and selective pressures, with emphasis on its occurrence and persistence in poultry production and implications for food safety and public health.