Salmonella Enteritidis

Why Salmonella Enteritidis is important

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is a type of Salmonella bacteria that can infect poultry and can cause foodborne illness in humans.

Infection with Salmonella bacteria, known as salmonellosis, can have particularly severe consequences in highly vulnerable people, like those who are young, old, pregnant or immunocompromised. There is a high risk of foodborne illness if undercooked poultry products are consumed (e.g. soft-boiled eggs).

Because contaminated poultry products have a high risk of causing foodborne illness in people, SE is a notifiable animal disease in Australia. This means that there is a legal obligation to notify Agriculture Victoria if you know or suspect that birds are infected with SE.

Birds that get infected with the bacteria often do not show any clinical signs but sometimes may present with lethargy, poor growth, diarrhoea and/or dehydration.

Until recently, the Australian egg industry was considered free of SE. There have been subsequent detections in several NSW and Victorian egg layer farms from 2018.

Spread of Salmonella Enteritidis

Potential sources of infection in flocks include contaminated environments, infected vermin (including rodents, wild birds and insects), contaminated feed, contaminated eggs, packaging materials and contaminated vehicles, crates, people and their clothing. Transmission is also possible from infected parent breeder birds either through the egg internally or on the eggshell),

SE can be spread from property to property through the movement of produce including eggs, hens at the end of the production cycle, egg packaging materials, equipment, feed, rodents, people and vehicles.

Salmonellosis in people

For information on gastroenteritis caused by salmonellosis in people, please visit the Better Health Channel.

Advice for farmers and industry providers

Detection of salmonella Enteritidis

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) can be identified in poultry flocks through:

• Investigation of foodborne illness in people who have consumed products that have been traced back to particular poultry flocks or businesses
• Investigation of health and disease issues of birds
• Tracing back to farms or other businesses associated with an SE-infected farm or business.
• Routine Salmonella monitoring programs on poultry farms and facilities (e.g. grading floors).

Preventing the spread of Salmonella Enteritidis and protecting your business

Good farm biosecurity is critical to managing the risk of SE. You should have a documented biosecurity program to monitor for and prevent the introduction of SE to your property or the spread between poultry sheds.

Actions you can take include:

• Have  an effective farm biosecurity plan
  • Refer to Biosecurity for poultry producers
  • Vaccinate flocks against Salmonella bacteria and/or buy pullets that have been vaccinated
  • Conduct an audit on the biosecurity of your farm. Refer to the Biosecurity page on the Australian Eggs website
• Identify risk factors where the bacteria could be introduced onto your farm and manage these risks accordingly
  • Refer to the Salmonella Risk Assessment Toolkit by Australian Eggs
• Participate voluntary quality assurance programs or accreditation programs. These include:
  • Egg Standards of Australia
  • The National Salmonella Enteritidis Monitoring & Accreditation Program (NSEMAP)

If Salmonella Enteritidis is detected on a poultry farm

If a farm has a confirmed positive test for SE it will be placed under quarantine notice and movement restrictions will be applied by Agriculture Victoria to prevent the further spread of SE.

Tracing of facilities or other businesses with recent contact with this farm, e.g. through egg movements or hen movement will be undertaken and samples from those properties will be collected and investigated.

The disease will be managed on-farm by industry in accordance with the industry-owned Salmonella Incidence Response Plan available on the food safety page on the Australian Eggs website.

Eggs on a farm that has Salmonella Enteritidis

Restrictions are placed on the movement and sale of eggs from the farm. Agriculture Victoria may issue a permit for the eggs to go to pulping and pasteurisation to render them safe. Any movement of eggs, birds, manure, etc is only allowed under a permit to an approved facility.

Regular monitoring for Salmonella Enteritidis in layer flocks

There is a voluntary National Salmonella Enteritidis Monitoring & Accreditation Program available to all commercial egg producers in Australia.

Factsheets

• A summary of recommended biosecurity practices to protect your business from Salmonella Enteritidis
  [PDF File - 158.7 KB]
• A summary of recommended biosecurity practices to protect your business from Salmonella Enteritidis – accessible
  [MS Word Document - 168.3 KB]

Report Salmonella Enteritidis in poultry

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in poultry is a notifiable disease under the Victorian Livestock Disease Control Act 1994. There is a legal obligation to notify Agriculture Victoria immediately if you know or suspect that birds are infected with this disease.

You can notify suspicion of SE by phoning:

• Agriculture Victoria’s Customer Call Centre on 136 186
• Your local District Veterinary Officer or Animal Health Officer
• The Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888