A Strong Evidence Outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis in Central Italy Linked to the Consumption of Contaminated Raw Sheep Milk Cheese

Salmonellosis is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in humans after campylobacteriosis, and an important cause of foodborne outbreaks in the EU/EEA. The vast majority (72.4%) of the salmonellosis foodborne outbreaks reported in EU in 2019 were caused by Enteritidis, even if...

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Published in:Microorganisms (Basel) 2021-11, Vol.9 (12), p.2464
Main Authors: Napoleoni, Maira, Villa, Laura, Barco, Lisa, Busani, Luca, Cibin, Veronica, Lucarelli, Claudia, Tiengo, Alessia, Dionisi, Anna Maria, Conti, Fabrizio, Da Silva Nunes, Fernanda Rogeria, Tantucci, Luana, Staffolani, Monica, Silenzi, Valentina, Fraticelli, Roberta, Morandi, Benedetto, Blasi, Giuliana, Rocchegiani, Elena, Fisichella, Stefano, On Behalf Of The Enter-Net And Enter-Vet Peripheral Laboratories Referents For Marche Region
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Campylobacteriosis
Cheese
Dairies
Dairy products
Eggs
Food
Foodborne diseases
foodborne outbreak
Infections
Laboratories
Livestock
Livestock farming
Livestock production
Lymphatic system
Milk
Outbreaks
pecorino “primo sale” cheese
Prevention
Public health
raw milk
Salmonella
Salmonella Enteritidis
Salmonellosis
Sheep
Surveillance
udder colonization
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Summary:Salmonellosis is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in humans after campylobacteriosis, and an important cause of foodborne outbreaks in the EU/EEA. The vast majority (72.4%) of the salmonellosis foodborne outbreaks reported in EU in 2019 were caused by Enteritidis, even if their total number due to this serovar decreased. In spring 2020, a foodborne outbreak of Enteritidis occurred in the Marche region (Central Italy), involving 85 people. The common exposure source was a cheese, pecorino "primo sale", produced with raw sheep milk. The cheese batches were produced by two local dairies, with a livestock production facility, also including a sheep farm, being part of one dairy. Bacteriological analysis of samples collected allowed the detection of Enteritidis in animal faeces, environmental samples, raw-milk bulk tanks and milk taken from single animals. These data confirm that, despite the scarce scientific evidence, Enteritidis can infect sheep and be shed into the animals' milk. Hence, this is a real risk for public health when unpasteurized milk is used in production of such cheese. The present paper describes the results of the investigations conducted to clarify this outbreak.
ISSN:2076-2607
2076-2607
DOI:10.3390/microorganisms9122464