Background: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Agbeni (antigenic formula 1,13,23:g,m,[s],[t]:-) is a serovar of the O:13 (G) serogroup. In a US study focusing on multistate outbreaks of nontyphoidal Salmonella infections linked to animal contact (2015–2018), an outbreak of serovar Agbeni associated with turtle contact was found to have the highest proportion of isolates from blood (22%; 17/76).

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

Genetic characteristics: Serovar Agbeni has been found to be paraphyletic. Other non-Agbeni serovars, such as S. Limete and S. Ituri, group together within serovar Agbeni.

Animal reservoir: Serovar Agbeni was found in cattle, horses, wild boar, and dogs.

Geographical distribution: Serovar Agbeni has been reported in the US, Canada, Europe such as the UK, Ireland, and Norway

Human outbreaks: 

Year

Location

Associated source

Number of cases

2019

Norway

Exotic dried fruits

56

2018

US: multistate

Cake mix

7

2017

US: multistate

Turtle

76

2011

Canada

Not identified

8

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

Recalls: 

YearLocationRecalled foodType
2020ItalyCocco a pezziFruits and vegetables

Relevant links:

  1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10793259/
  2. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1547190/full
  3. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/zph.13174
  4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8034060/#:~:text=On%20Tuesday%2012%20February%202019,possible%20source%20of%20the%20outbreak.
  5. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6748a5.htm#:~:text=In%20June%202017%2C%20PulseNet%2C%20the,patient%20during%20April%E2%80%93December%202017.
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3437710/
  7. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/salmonella/agbeni-11-18/index.html#:~:text=On%20November%205%2C%202018%2C%20ConAgra%20Brands%20recalled,after%20health%20officials%20in%20Oregon%20identified%20Salmonella
  8. https://atlas.ecdc.europa.eu/public/index.aspx
  9. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/notification/433511
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