title: Short communication: Characterization of Salmonella phages from dairy calves on farms with history of diarrhea.
abstract: Salmonella enterica can cause disease and mortality in calves. This pathogen is also a zoonosis that can be transmitted by animal contact or by food. The prevalence of Salmonella in dairy farms has been reported to range from 0 to 64%, and, due to the diversity of Salmonella serovars that can be circulating, Salmonella is an important concern for dairy production. Bacteriophages that infect Salmonella have been documented to be abundant and widely distributed in the dairy environment. The current study investigated the diversity of Salmonella serovars and Salmonella phages in 8 dairy farms with a history of diarrhea in southern Chile. A total of 160 samples from sick calves, healthy calves, and the environment were analyzed for Salmonella and phage. Isolated phages were characterized and classified by their host range using a panel of 26 Salmonella isolates representing 23 serovars. Host ranges were classified according to lysis profiles (LP) and their spatial distribution was mapped. Salmonella-infecting phages were identified, but none of the 160 samples were positive for Salmonella. A total of 45 phage isolates were obtained from sick calves (11), healthy calves (16), or the environment (18). According to their host range, 19 LP were identified, with LP1 being the most common on all 8 farms; LP1 represents phages that only lyse serogroup D Salmonella. The identification of Salmonella phages but not Salmonella in the same samples could suggest that these phages are controlling Salmonella in these farms.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile 8320000.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dueñas
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile 8320000.
authors.forename: Dácil
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile 8320000.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile 8320000.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tardone
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciencias Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 8820808.
authors.forename: Luis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Hervé-Claude
authors.affiliation: Departamento Medicina Preventiva, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 8820808.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamilton-West
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile 8320000. Electronic address: andrea.moreno@unab.cl.
authors.forename: Andrea I Moreno
authors.initials: AIM
authors.lastname: Switt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003967:Diarrhea; D000072480:Farms; D005243:Feces; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012483:Salmonella Phages
keywords: Salmonella; bacteriophage; dairy calf