SALMONELLA INFECTIONS IN POULTRY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Salmonella spp. remains one of the most important foodborne pathogens worldwide and represents a major challenge for the poultry industry due to its impact on animal health, food safety, and public health. This review summarizes current knowledge on the taxonomy, pathogenicity, epidemiology, transmission routes, diagnostic approaches, antimicrobial resistance, and control strategies of Salmonella in poultry production. The genus comprises two species, Salmonella enterica and Salmonella bongori, with S. enterica including numerous serovars of veterinary and public health importance, such as S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Infantis, S. Heidelberg, and S. gallinarum. Horizontal and vertical transmission play essential roles in the persistence and dissemination of the pathogen throughout the production chain. Conventional bacteriological methods remain the reference standard for diagnosis. At the same time, molecular approaches, including PCR, quantitative PCR, whole-genome sequencing, MALDI-TOF, and emerging CRISPR-based technologies, have significantly improved detection, epidemiological surveillance, and characterization of virulence and resistance determinants. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates harboring genes conferring resistance to β-lactams, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, and quinolones underscores the need for ongoing surveillance and prudent antimicrobial use. Effective prevention requires an integrated One Health approach based on biosecurity measures, environmental monitoring, vaccination, bacteriophage therapy, rapid diagnostics, and antimicrobial stewardship. Collectively, these strategies help reduce pathogen dissemination, minimize antimicrobial resistance, and improve the safety and sustainability of poultry production systems.