Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Effect of Commonly Used Disinfectants on Salmonella Infantis Isolates

Abstract

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Infantis is the most prevalent serovar in broilers and broiler meat in the European Union. The aim of our study was to test the biofilm formation and antimicrobial effect of disinfectants on genetically characterized S. Infantis isolates from poultry, food, and humans. For the biofilm formation under various temperature conditions (8 °C, 20 °C, and 28 °C) and incubation times (72 h and 168 h), the crystal violet staining method was used. The evaluation of the in vitro antimicrobial effect of Ecocid® S, ethanol, and hydrogen peroxide was determined using the broth microdilution method. The antibiofilm effect of subinhibitory concentration (1/8 MIC) of disinfectants was then tested on S. Infantis 323/19 strain that had the highest biofilm formation potential. Our results showed that the biofilm formation was strain-specific; however, it was higher at 20 °C and prolonged incubation time. Moreover, strains carrying a pESI plasmid showed higher biofilm formation potential. The antibiofilm potential of disinfectants on S. Infantis 323/19 strain at 20 °C was effective after a shorter incubation time. As shown in our study, more effective precautionary measures should be implemented to ensure biofilm prevention and removal in order to control the S. Infantis occurrence.

Fighting Salmonella Infantis: bacteriophage-driven cleaning and disinfection strategies for broiler farms

“…Unlike other Salmonella serovars that are controlled in one or a few flock cycles, S . Infantis has been shown to be more persistent and difficult to remove from poultry house surfaces, mainly due to biofilm formation ( Drauch et al, 2020 ; Bezek et al, 2023 ). This indicates that S .…”

“…Foodborne pathogens that survive cleaning and disinfection during poultry processing, are a public health concern due to the increased possibility of spreading to humans and mobilizing antibiotic resistance (Cadena et al, 2019). Unlike other Salmonella serovars that are controlled in one or a few flock cycles, S. Infantis has been shown to be more persistent and difficult to remove from poultry house surfaces, mainly due to biofilm formation (Drauch et al, 2020;Bezek et al, 2023). This indicates that S. Infantis might be more resistant to standard cleaning and disinfection protocols.…”

Phage-Based Biosanitation Strategies for Minimizing Persistent Salmonella and Campylobacter Bacteria in Poultry

“…Numerous researchers are studying the rise of this serovar in an effort to tackle the virulence factors that make it so persistent and how to effectively address it. Notably, S. Infantis has been found to present the pESI-like mega-plasmid (the plasmid of emerging S. Infantis) [11,86]. The pESI-like plasmid has been linked with superior biofilm formation, adhesion and invasion into avian and mammalian host cells.…”

“…The pESI-like plasmid has been linked with superior biofilm formation, adhesion and invasion into avian and mammalian host cells. This plasmid increased S. Infantis fitness and antibiotic resistance, acquisition and transmission of AMR and resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds and heavy metals under various environmental conditions [11,[86][87][88][89][90]. Hence, the elimination of S. Infantis from farms or slaughterhouses remains a current challenge, even with thorough cleaning and disinfection [86,91].…”

“…This plasmid increased S. Infantis fitness and antibiotic resistance, acquisition and transmission of AMR and resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds and heavy metals under various environmental conditions [11,[86][87][88][89][90]. Hence, the elimination of S. Infantis from farms or slaughterhouses remains a current challenge, even with thorough cleaning and disinfection [86,91]. Salmonella persistence highlights the importance of developing novel biocontrol agents, such as bacteriophages, to combat these continuously evolving organisms.…”