“ Using molecular biology in the diagnosis of avian Salmonellosis . Future and prospects ”

Salmonella spp. colonise a wide range of hosts and all the major livestock species (poultry, cattle, and pigs) can become colonised, frequently asymptomatically, eventually producing contaminated meat and other food products. Food-borne outbreaks of salmonellosis are routinely observed and frequently reported. This is a reflection of a low infectious dose in humans, especially when delivered in certain foodstuffs such as chocolate, an ability to grow in unprocessed food and in the environment allowing amplification, and long term survival and, therefore, ease of recovery from contaminated foods. Such diverse habitats also provide opportunities for adaptation and evolution and this is demonstrated by the changing trends in salmonellosis and associated agents that have been observed in recent years.