Innovation in Salmonella Typing: Application of Infrared Spectroscopy for Serotype Identification and Outbreak Monitoring

• Grant number: 24/18468-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Monique Ribeiro Tiba Casas
• Grantee: Monique Ribeiro Tiba Casas
• Host Institution: Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL). Coordenadoria de Controle de Doenças (CCD). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carlos Henrique Camargo ; Elizabeth Harummyy Takagi ; Jacqueline Boldrin de Paiva ; Samanta Cristine Grassi Almeida

Abstract

Salmonella is one of the most frequent causes of foodborne diarrheal diseases in humans and remains the leading cause of infectious gastroenteritis. However, the impact of Salmonella is not limited to human health, as it also represents a significant issue in veterinary medicine. Salmonella infections can affect various animals, including cattle, pigs, and poultry, leading to severe conditions such as septicemia and enteritis. Traditionally, Salmonella serotyping is considered the gold standard for identifying different serotypes of this bacterium. However, DNA-based techniques, such as whole-genome sequencing, are also used for this purpose but face significant limitations due to their high cost and complexity.The aim of the project is to use infrared spectroscopy to create a spectral database of the main serotypes circulating in the country, for the precise and efficient identification of typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. serogroups. This approach seeks to enhance the accuracy and speed of detecting various serotypes circulating in the country, facilitating diagnosis and outbreak control, and strengthening public health measures. Additionally, the project will include a study of isolates from waterborne and foodborne outbreaks to evaluate the equipment's effectiveness in identifying and studying the clonal nature of these samples. The Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL), as a reference laboratory, will contribute with its extensive collection of Salmonella strains, including global and emerging serovars, enabling a comprehensive assessment of biological and epidemiological variability. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) represents a promising and innovative alternative to overcome the limitations of traditional techniques, providing rapid and cost-effective identification of Salmonella serotypes. This is particularly relevant considering that only a few laboratories, including the reference laboratory, have a complete antiserum scheme. Furthermore, FTIR can play a crucial role in the prevention and control of salmonellosis, a pathogen of significant relevance in public health, food safety, and veterinary medicine. By enabling more efficient and accessible serotype identification, it significantly contributes to public health protection and food safety. (AU)