Comparative genomic profiling of virulence genes in human clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis.

INTRODUCTION

Non-typhoidal Salmonella are a significant global public health concern, which are responsible for considerable morbidity, mortality, and economic burden around the world. Among more than 2,600 S. enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium are the most prevalent in human infections globally. Identifying the genetic determinants that contribute to the pathogenic potential of these serovars is essential for developing prevention, control, and treatment strategies. The virulence mechanism for individual Salmonella serovars is still not well recognized. Diversity of virulence factors among serovars plays a critical role in disease severity and epidemiological success. Serovar-specific genes may influence infection strategies, host adaptation, and epidemiological patterns.

METHODS

Using public repositories of the NCBI Pathogen Detection database, this study aimed to determine genes that are shared and specific to each serovar and also identify significantly enriched genes in each serovar using statistical analysis.

RESULTS

While both serovars shared a conserved set of core virulence genes, significant serovar-specific differences were identified, which may reflect distinct strategies for host interaction, immune modulation, and nutrient acquisition.

CONCLUSION

Our findings may have potential clinical and public health implications. Knowledge of serovar-specific virulence patterns may assist risk-based surveillance and targeted outbreak investigations. These findings enhance our understanding of Salmonella virulence profiling, particularly for two highly prevalent serovars in human infections, and may assist state, national, and international public health authorities in their efforts for future surveillance, risk assessment, and targeted intervention strategies.