Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and evaluation of isolation methods from naturally contaminated poultry litter swab samples in Argentina

Authors: Teresa M. Hoffmann, Mario A. Soria, Andrea Alcain, Mirian P. Moroni, María R. Viñas, Guillermo Téllez-Isaías, and Dante J. Bueno

Ger. J. Vet. Res 2026. vol. 6, Iss. 2 pp:124-136
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/gjvr.2026.2.0193

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Abstract:

National poultry improvement programs utilize multistep isolation procedures for Salmonella spp. detection in poultry litter, including selective enrichment and plating on selective-differential solid media. This study assessed the prevalence and serovar distribution of Salmonella spp. in 1,004 naturally contaminated poultry litter swab samples collected across Argentina. Samples were obtained from 775 poultry farms, comprising broiler (n = 801), laying hen (n = 2), and broiler-breeder (n = 201) houses. The probability of Salmonella isolation was evaluated based on the diameter of migration zones on modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV) agar. The selective and differential capacities of two selective-differential plating media, xylose lysine deoxycholate (XLD) agar and Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar, were compared. The apparent prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 20.6%. The most frequently identified serovars included Salmonella ser. Enteritidis (42%), S. ser. Westhampton (13%), and S. ser. Newport (6%). An MSRV halo diameter of 33 mm was determined to be the optimal cut-off value for a high probability of Salmonella spp. isolation. No significant differences were observed between XLD and SS agars regarding selective capacity; however, XLD agar exhibited superior differential performance. The detection of S. ser. Enteritidis in poultry litter underscores the public health significance of this serovar in Argentine poultry production systems. In summary, XLD agar is superior to SS agar for colony differentiation, and MSRV halo diameters of 33 mm or greater are strongly associated with successful Salmonella spp. isolation from poultry litter swab samples.

Keywords:

Poultry litter, Salmonella prevalence, Argentina, Culture method, Plating media

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