A One Health perspective on Salmonella enterica Serovar Infantis, an emerging human multidrug-resistant pathogen

Abstract

Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis presents an ever increasing threat to public health because of its spread throughout many countries and association with high levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We analyzed whole genome sequences of 5,284 Salmonella Infantis strains from 74 countries, isolated during 1989–2020 from a wide variety of human, animal, and food sources, to compare genetic phylogeny, AMR determinants, and plasmid presence. The global Salmonella Infantis population structure diverged into 3 clusters: a North American cluster, a European cluster, and a global cluster. The levels of AMR varied by Salmonella Infantis cluster and by isolation source; 73% of poultry isolates were multidrug resistant, compared with 35% of human isolates. This finding correlated with the presence of the pESI megaplasmid; 71% of poultry isolates contained pESI, compared with 32% of human isolates. This study provides key information for public health teams engaged in reducing the spread of this pathogen.