MS's specific analysis of temporal trend of Salmonella in poultry flocks

Control and eradication of Salmonella serotypes of public health relevance (particularly S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium, including the monophasic variant) in poultry flocks is, despite its importance, a difficult objective to achieve due to the complex epidemiology of this zoonotic pathogen. The data gathered through the national control programs implemented in the European Union (EU) countries provide an excellent opportunity to identify factors associated with the isolation of this bacterium that may explain the main limitations preventing its eradication/favouring its reoccurrence in poultry flocks. In order to gather data about Salmonella control and management programs, data on the Salmonella National Control Programs (SNCP) in laying hens from all partners/countries involved in WP2 of the ADONIS project has been requested. This deliverable presents the full analysis conducted on the data from the Spanish SNCP facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Animal Health Department), which are the only complete database that has become available so far, though plans exist to extend the application of the developed analytic framework to other databases that may be accessed before the end of the project (options are France, United Kingdom and the Netherlands). The ultimate objective of the analysis obtained through the official surveillance activities conducted in the frame of the SNCP is to identify factors that may be associated with an increased probability of detection of Salmonella in poultry flocks, which may be indicative of a true higher risk of infection, or an increased sensitivity of the samplings conducted. This may help explain the temporal trends on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in poultry observed in the EU in the last decade, and also help to assess the performance of the current monitoring system.