ABIS Encyclopedia

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

O Group
(old name)

Factor
(new name)

9, 46

G1-G2

9,46,27

6,14

C1-C4

6,7

E1-E2-E3

3,10

C2-C3

1,3,19

Hydrogen sulfide produced by Salmonella
on XLD agar (black colonies)

Genus Salmonella
Lignieres, 1900

Taxonomy

Morphology

Cultural characteristics

Biochemical characters

Ecology

Pathogenicity

References

Proteobacteria => Gammaproteobacteria => Enterobacteriales => Enterobacteriaceae => Salmonella =>

Two systems of nomenclature are in use for the genus Salmonella: S.enterica (new) / S. choleraesius (old):
Salmonella bongori (synonyms Salmonella enterica subsp. bongori, and Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. bongori).
Salmonella choleraesuis - type species of the genus, heterotypic synonym: Salmonella enterica
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. arizonae - synonyms: Salmonella enterica subsp. arizonae & Salmonella arizonae,
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. diarizonae - synonym: Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. choeraesuis - synonym: Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. houtenae - synonym: Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. indica - synonym: Salmonella enterica subsp. indica
Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. salamae - synonym: Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae)
Salmonella subterranea (proposed species), Shelobolina et al. 2005

Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella typhi are heterotypic synonyms of S. enterica
subsp. enterica. The epithets enteritidis, paratyphi, typhimurium and typhi should be used only in the names of serovars.
In subspecies of Salmonella choleraesuis (S. enterica) serovars are recognized based on the somatic & flagellar antigens. Some
serovar names denoted disease and/or animal host specificity (e.g. Typhi, Abortus-ovis, Abortus-equi) or geographical area where
the first strain of the serovar was isolated (e.g. London, Paris). In order to simplify the serovar nomenclature, a shortened name is in
use: Salmonella & serovar name (eg. Salmonella Abortusovis), (complete names would be Salmonella choleraesuis subsp.
cholearaesuis serovar Abortusovis or Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Abortusovis). Initially, 'O' groups were designated
by letters, later continued by numbers 51 to 67. It is advisable to renounce using letters and to use only numbers. See the table below:

Gram negative rods, 2-5 / 0.7-1.5 μm, non-capsulated, non-sporulated.

Colonies are 1-3 mm diameter, S-type, but sometimes R-type colonies may appear.
Motile, with the exception of Gallinarum & Pullorum serovars.
Facultatively anaerobic, growth temperature 37 °C. Grow easily on various media:
Nutrient Agar or Nutrient Broth, Trypticase Soy Agar ± 5% sheep blood, Mac Conkey
Agar – white/colourless colonies, SS Agar - colourless colonies, Rambach Agar – red
colonies, XLD Agar (Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar ) - red colonies, some with
black center, Mueller-Hinton Agar

Widely distributed in nature. Isolated from water, foods (raw meats, poultry, eggs, milk
and dairy products, fish, shrimp, frog legs, yeast, coconut etc.),soil, plants, feces,
animal organs & caracases (which may be contaminated during slaughtering and
processing). Also have been isolated from the outside of egg shells.

Salmonella can infect humans, farm animals, reptiles and others. Is mostly a
foodborne pathogen.
Salmonella strains may produce a thermolabile enterotoxin that bears a limited
relatedness to cholera toxin and a cytotoxin that inhibits protein synthesis. Both of
these toxins are presumed to play a role in the diarrheal symptoms.
Salmonellosis may present one of several syndromes including gastroenteritis,
enteric (typhoid) fever, abortus or septicemia. Salmonella septicemia has been
associated with subsequent infection of virtually every organ (spline, liver, kidney,
lungs, brain, lymphnodes).

J. G.Holt et al., 1994. Begey’s manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 9th-edition, Williams & Wilkins.
Euzeby J.P.: Revised Salmonella nomenclature: designation of Salmonella enterica (ex Kauffmann and Edwards 1952) Le
Minor and Popoff 1987 sp. nov., nom. rev. as the neotype species of the genus Salmonella Lignieres 1900 (Approved Lists
1980), rejection of the name Salmonella choleraesuis (Smith 1894) Weldin 1927 (Approved Lists 1980), and conservation of
the name Salmonella typhi (Schroeter 1886) Warren and Scott 1930 (Approved Lists 1980). Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst.
Bacteriol., 1999, 49, 927-930.
Brenner F.W., Villar R.G., Angulo F.J., Tauxe R. & Swaminathan B.: Salmonella nomenclature (Guest Commentary). J. Clin.
Microbiol., 2000, 38, 2465-2467.
Popoff M.Y. & Le Minor L.: Taxonomy of the genus Salmonella. Changes in serovars nomenclature. In: M.Y. POPOFF and L. LE
MINOR: Antigenic formulas of the Salmonella serovars, 7th revision. WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research
on Salmonella. Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, 1997, p. 5.
Ezaki T., Kawamura Y. & Yabuuchi E.: Recognition of nomenclatural standing of Salmonella typhi (Approved Lists 1980),
Salmonella enteritidis (Approved Lists 1980) and Salmonella typhimurium (Approved Lists 1980), and conservation of specific
epithets enteritidis and typhimurium. Request for an Opinion. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol., 2000, 50, 945-947.
Don J. Brenner and J.J. Farmer III, 2001. Family I. Enterobacteriaceae. In: Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, Second
edition,Vol two, part B, George M. Garrity (Editor-in-Chief), pp 587-897.
Patrick A.D. Grimont, Francois Xavier Weill. Antigenic formulae of the Salmonella serovars. 9th edition. Paris, France: WHO
Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Salmonella, Institute Pasteur; 2007.

Positive results for catalase, nitrate reduction, methyl red, acid production from:
glucose, mannitol & D-mannose.

Negative results for indole production, urea hydrolysis, Voges-Proskauer reaction, phenylalanine deaminase, gelatin hydrolysis,
esculin hydrolysis, oxidase, DN-ase, lipase, acid production from: adonitol, sucrose, cellobiose (most of strains), raffinose, salicin &
alpha-methyl-D-glucoside.