Background: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Bovismorbificans (antigenic formula 6,8,20:r,[i]:1,5) is a serovar of the O:8 (C2-C3) serogroup. Serovar Bovismorbificans was first reported in grey seals in the UK in 1979. The prevalence of this serovar is generally low. For example, between three and fourteen cases of serovar Bovismorbificans occur annually in the Netherlands. 

NCBI PD link for serovar Bovismorbificans: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pathogens/isolates/#(taxgroup_name:%22Salmonella%20enterica%22)%20AND%20computed_types:(%22serotype=Bovismorbificans%22)

Genetic characteristics: Serovar Bovismorbificans has been found to be polyphyletic with three lineages identified and one stand-alone singleton that doesn't cluster with any other Salmonella Bovismorbificans isolates. Multidrug-resistant strains have been isolated from calves in Australia, showing resistance to ampicillin, sulfonamides, tetracycline, neomycin, kanamycin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, and streptomycin. Li et al. isolated two foodborne Bovismorbificans isolates of different origins in China, co-resistant to CIP and CTX, which harbored the same novel IncHI2-ST2 type conjugative plasmid. Gopinath et al. identified two polyphyletic clusters, comprising four STs (2640, 142, 1499, and 377). 

Animal reservoir: Pigs tend to be the main animal reservoir for serovar Bovismorbificans. This serovar was also found in cattle, chicken, sheep, and horses. 

Geographical distribution: Serovar Bovismorbificans has been found worldwide.

Human outbreaks: There are multiple outbreaks associated with serovar Bovismorbificans. Here we reported a few as examples. 

Year

Location

Associated source

Number of cases

2022

Greece

Tap water

33

2020

France

Dried pork sausages

33

2018

Netherlands

Raw, smoked, and Coburg ham

54

2016

Europe: multi-country

Uncooked ham products

63 (54 Dutch, 7 Belgian, 2 French cases)

2011US: multistateTahini9

Border rejections: Multiple border rejections were found. Here we reported one as example. 

Year

Exporting country

Importing country

Associated source

Product category

2021BrazilGermanyBlack pepper1Herbs and spices

1 Both Salmonella Bovismorbificans and Salmonella II 42:r:- were found. 

Recalls: Multiple recalls were reported. Here we selected one as example.

YearLocationRecalled productType
2020FranceDried pork sausages1Ready-to-eat meat product

1 This recall was caused by a Bovismorbificans outbreak infecting 33 people. Three recalls of dried pork products were addressed in November 2020, influencing eight supermarkets.

Relevant links:

  1. https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1979.tb03972.x
  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5765776/
  3. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1547190/full
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21933168/
  5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160521003986?via%3Dihub
  6. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/6/1199
  7. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0087933
  8. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/2/167#:~:text=Results:%20We%20identified%2033%20cases%20
  9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9837855/
  10. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/513983
  11. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/01/french-salmonella-outbreak-study-reveals-dual-contamination/
  12. https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2018/01/05/Salmonella-Bovismorbificans-outbreak-linked-to-undercooked-ham/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09-Jan-2018&c=p%2FtLw%2B6HDRAJ%2F3NhASKrcg%3D%3D&p2=
  13. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6146a3.htm
  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21933168/


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