Background: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Litchfield (antigenic formula 6,8:l,v:1,2) is a serovar of the O:8 (C2-C3) serogroup. An outbreak linked to poultry (no further details were included in the paper, so this is not described in the human outbreaks section below), caused by serovar Litchfield, showed the highest proportion of positive isolates in urine samples (17%, or 3 out of 18 cases). Serovar Litchfield has also been reported to cause an outbreak in a herd of cattle with sparrows considered as the most likely vehicle of infection.

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

Genetic characteristics: Serovar Litchfield has been found to be polyphyletic with two lineages identified. Medalla et al. reported that Litchfield (2.9%) has the second highest proportion of isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin in their study. González-Sanz et al. reported serovar Litchfield isolated in Spain from 2001 to 2005 with the presence of blaCTX-M-1. Yamazaki et al. reported that a plasmid pRY82, which mediates lactose-utilization, was isolated from a serovar Litchfield strain. 

Animal reservoir: Poultry and turtles may be potential hosts.

Geographical distribution: Based on the metadata from NCBI PD, serovar Litchfield has been reported worldwide but mainly in US.

Human outbreaks: 

YearLocationAssociated SourceNumber of Cases
2022US: multistateRaw salmon39
2019CanadaItalian Style mild, dry, cured sausage13
2009AustraliaBarramundi fillets (suspected)76
2009SpainPet turtles16
2008Canada & US: multistateCantaloupeAt least 50
2006-2007AustraliaPapaya26
2003AustraliaCucumbers (suspected)4
NAAustraliaWaterborne (suspected)2NA

1 Both Salmonella Paratyphi B and Litchfield were involved. The case number does not reflect the number of infections linked to Salmonella Litchfield only.

2 OzFoodNet Outbreak Register. Unpublished data.

Border rejections: There have been no recent border rejections linked to this serovar.

Recalls:

YearLocationRecalled foodType
2022US: multistateRaw salmon1 Fish and fish products
2019CanadaItalian Style mild, dry, cured sausage2Meat and meat products (other than poultry)

1 Mariscos Bahia, Inc., based in Pico Rivera, CA, has voluntarily issued a recall. The affected products consist of fresh, raw salmon, as well as all other fresh fish processed in the same facility, including fresh, raw halibut, Chilean seabass, tuna, and swordfish.

2 Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall for Filicetti brand Italian Style mild, dry, cured sausage.

Relevant links:

  1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10793259/
  2. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/20013036586
  3. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1547190/full#h10
  4. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/fpd.2012.1336
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19815633/
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3448258/
  7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336241077_Onsite_investigation_at_a_mail-order_hatchery_following_a_multistate_Salmonella_illness_outbreak_linked_to_live_poultry-United_States_2018
  8. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/yoken/72/1/72_JJID.2018.140/_article
  9. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-seafood-october-2022
  10. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/public-health-notices/2019/outbreak-salmonella-sausages.html
  11. https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-cdi3402g.htm
  12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22795887/
  13. https://about-salmonella.com/salmonella_outbreaks/cantaloupe-salmonella-litchfield-outbreak
  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19517740/
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20080603015502/http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-pubs-cdi-2003-cdi2704-htm-cdi2704k.htm
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