Molecular characterization of Salmonella serovars by multiplex qPCR in chicken carcasses

• Grant number: 24/00054-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Products of Animal Origin Inspection
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Sossai Possebon
• Grantee: Caio de Oliveira Lima
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil plays a prominent role in the poultry sector, being the largest exporter and the second-largest producer of chicken meat in the world. The broiler chicken industry holds significant economic and social importance for the country, prompting institutions and industries to seek guidelines for monitoring the incidence of pathogens commonly found in these products and controlling the spread of diseases possibly associated with these microorganisms. In this context, Salmonella pose a serious threat to poultry farming. This pathogen is a notable agent of foodborne diseases (FBD), generating considerable concern due to its capacity to cause outbreaks, hospitalizations, and even fatalities. The prevalence of this microorganism varies between 36.3% and 86.7% in products originating from the poultry chain. In Brazil, Salmonella is one of the etiological agents most frequently associated with outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Some studies report the identification of in 11.2% of these outbreaks between 2012 and 2021, with the predominance or emergence of specific serovars such as S. Enteridits, S. Typhimurium, S. Gallinarum, S. Pullorum, and more recently, S. Heidelberg. Currently, the isolation, quantification, and serotyping of Salmonella are predominantly carried out through conventional microbiological techniques, requiring various inputs, specialized labor, and considerable time. However, these processes ensure public health protection by contributing to the recognition of critical points and risk factors, as well as determining the quality and safety of food. Particularly, knowledge of the geographical distribution of serovars is important for assessing health risks in human and animal populations, serving as a crucial epidemiological indicator, as certain serovars may be more pathogenic or better adapted to specific species. In view of this, the present project aims to standardize a multiplex real-time PCR (qPCR) for the simultaneous differentiation of Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Gallinarum, and Pullorum serovars, which are serovars recommended for monitoring in Brazilian legislation, and Heidelberg serovar, which is currently frequently reported in national studies. The goal is to validate an analytical method that allows for the rapid, safe, and effective serotyping of Salmonella in chicken carcasses