Salmonella is the most commonly diagnosed bacterial agent causing foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 1.4 million illnesses and 600 deaths are estimated to be caused by Salmonella each year.
Typically, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Heidelberg are the three most frequent serotypes recovered from humans each year.
S. Heidelberg has increasingly been reported as cause of human salmonellosis worldwide.
S. Heidelberg is a bacterium that can cause severe illness in calves and humans. Calves infected with S. Heidelberg may develop diarrhea or die abruptly without any clinical signs. In Brazil, S. Heidelberg has been reported in poultry but it is infrequently isolated from pigs.
Salmonella Heidelberg was initially discovered in 1933 in Heidelberg, Germany. In 1954, it was isolated for the first time in the United States.
People infected with S. Heidelberg can develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, which typically last from 4 to 7 days.
S. Heidelberg appears to be easily passed from sick or dead calves to people. The organism can be passed via direct contact with infected calves or via indirect contact, such as through cleaning the calf area.
Salmonella Heidelberg
