Background: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Cubana (antigenic formula 1,13,23:z29:–) is a serovar of the O:13 (G) serogroup. Salmonella Cubana was first isolated by Curbelo in Cuba from diseased baby chicks. This serovar is very rare. Serovar Cubana was also identified from environmental samples from a ready-to-eat granola and cereal production facility.
NCBI PD link for serovar Cubana: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pathogens/isolates/#(taxgroup_name:%22Salmonella%20enterica%22)%20AND%20computed_types:(%22serotype=Cubana%22)
Genetic characteristics: Serovar Cubana has been found to be polyphyletic with six lineages identified and three stand-alone singletons that do not cluster with any other Salmonella Cubana isolates. Some studies have found the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in serovar Cubana isolates. Resistance to β-Lactam antibiotics was identified in a serovar Cubana isolate from a clinical case in the U.S.
Animal reservoir: Serovar Cubana was mainly associated with poultry.
Geographical distribution: Serovar Cubana has been found in the U.S., Canada, Cuba, and Sweden.
Human outbreaks: Outbreaks have been associated with S. Cubana.
| Year | Location | Associated source | Number of cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | US: CA | Carmine dye capsules | 7 |
| 1998 | US: multistate | Alfalfa sprouts | 34* |
| 2009 | US: MN | Sprouts | 2 |
| 2009 | Canada | Onion sprouts and mixed onion/alfalfa sprout | 14 |
| 2010 | US: multistate | Alfalfa sprouts | 3 |
| 2012 | US: multistate | Sprouts | 19 |
*: Three serovars (S. Havana, S. Cubana, S. Tennessee) were involved in this outbreak.
Border rejections: There have been no recent border rejections linked to this serovar.
Recalls:
| Year | Location | Recalled Product | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | US: multistate | Granola bars and granola cereals | Human food |
Relevant links: