Salmonella Control in Swine: A Thoughtful Discussion of the Pre- and Post-Harvest Control Approaches in Industrialized Countries

Abstract

Pork is among the major sources of human salmonellosis in developed countries. Since the 1990s, different surveys and cross-sectional studies, both national and international (i.e., the baseline studies performed in the European Union), have revealed and confirmed the widespread non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes in pigs. A number of countries have implemented control programs with different approaches and degrees of success. The efforts could be implemented either at farms, in post-harvest stages, or both. The current review revises the current state of the art in Salmonella in swine, the control programs ongoing or conducted in the past, and their strengths and failures, with particular attention to the weight of pre- and post-harvest control and the implications that both have for the success of interventions or mitigation after outbreaks. This review provides a novel perspective on Salmonella control in swine, a matter that still includes uncertainties and room for improvement as a question of public health and One Health.