The population structure of Salmonella enterica Enteritidis in Iran analyzed by multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis.

Salmonella enterica Enteritidis is the most frequent etiological agent of salmonellosis in humans and poultry. To understand the genetic diversity of S. Enteritidis in Iran, we examined 69 chicken isolates from 18 broiler farms and six non-epidemic human isolates from six geographically distant provinces by multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Among SE2, SE3, SE5, SE7, SE8, SENTR4, and SENTR7, only SE5 with four and SENTR7 with two alleles, respectively, proved variable giving estimates of locus genetic diversity of 0.58 and 0. In all, six closely related MLVA profiles were identified among which three were commonly represented by human and chicken isolates. This population homogeneity contrasts with the high diversity at these loci reported elsewhere and is likely a consequence of a single clone of S. Enteritidis distributed across Iran.