Salmonellose der Rinder – Salmonellosis in cattle

In Germany, outbreaks of salmonellosis in cattle herds officially confirmed by the competent authority are notifiable. In 2013, 77 outbreaks of bovine salmonellosis were recorded (Table 1). The number of outbreaks in the federal states (Lander) between 2009 and 2013 is shown in Table 2. The regional distribution of salmonellosis outbreaks in cattle herds between 2010 and 2013 is presented in Figure 1. While the serovar Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium caused ca. 50 % of the annually reported outbreaks of salmonellosis from 1995 to 2002 and thus represented the most important serovar, this percentage decreased in 2003 and 2004 to ca. 38 % or 39 %, respectively. After an increase of S. Typhimurium outbreaks during the following years in 2013 a percentage of 34 % was reached (Table 3). The share of outbreaks caused by the host-adapted serovar S. Dublin amounted to ca. 29 % in 2013. About 8 % of the reported outbreaks in 2013 were caused by the serovar S. Abony and ca. 1 % by S. Enteritidis. The summarised group of all other serovars was the reason for ca. 30 % of all outbreaks of salmonellosis in cattle. However, there are no signs for an increase of any single serovar from this group. The distribution of the serovars in the reported outbreaks reveals considerable differences between the federal states (Lander) in Germany. The finding that the hostadapted serovar S. Dublin is not detected in some federal states (Lander) but repeatedly the cause of the majority of salmonellosis outbreaks in some other federal states might be an indicator that this serovar is endemic in several areas.