AUTHOR=D'Angelo Luisa , Paradiso Rubina , Alfano Domenico , Riccardi Marita Georgia , Borriello Giorgia , Galiero Giorgio 

TITLE=First Report on Abortion Caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Enteritidis in Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.894154

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2022.894154

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar enteritidis (SESESE) is one of the major pathogens associated with enteric diseases in animals and humans. Thus, due to the importance of Salmonella spp. infections for animal production and public health, the aim of the present study was to describe the first detection of SESESE in an aborted water buffalo fetus in southern Italy by characterizing the phylogroup profile and the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated pathogenic strain. The different clinical manifestations of salmonellosis in animals include diarrhea, abortion, pneumonia, septic arthritis, meningitis, and others, depending on the virulence of the serotypes, infectious dose, and host immunity. In this study, we report the first case of  abortion caused by Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar enteritidis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the Campania region, southern Italy. Complete necropsy was performed on the aborted water buffalo fetus under study, and samples and swabs from  different organs were collected. Microbiological and molecular analyses were carried out to detect bacterial, viral, and protozoarian abortive pathogens. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was carried out to further characterize the isolated SESESE strain. 
Our findings highlight the crucial role of SESESE as a potential abortive agent in water buffalo and should therefore be included in the diagnostic panel in cases of bubaline abortion.