Insights into recurring multi-country outbreaks of Salmonella Strathcona associated with tomatoes, Europe, 2011 to 2024
Notifications of <i>Salmonella</i> Strathcona infections increased in Europe in 2023 prompting a multi-country outbreak investigation. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of <i>S</i>. Strathcona infections in 17 European countries 2011-2024, investigate the genetic relatedness of <i>S</i>. Strathcona isolates and identify the vehicle. Cases were persons residing in the study area and with a laboratory-confirmed <i>S</i>. Strathcona infection 2011-2024. Confirmed cases had a <i>S</i>. Strathcona isolate clustering with the outbreak reference strain in core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) within 7 allelic differences (AD) and possible cases within 8-13 AD. Probable cases had an epidemiological link to a confirmed case and non-outbreak cases had an isolate > 13 AD from the outbreak reference strain. Since 2011, 662 <i>S</i>. Strathcona infections have been identified: 469 confirmed, 161 probable, 13 possible and 19 non-outbreak cases. Median age of the cases was 34 years (IQR: 19-58 years) and 306 (47.5%) were notified in 2023-2024. Most sequenced isolates (469/496; 94.5%) were highly genetically related (≤ 7 AD) over time and across countries, compatible with a common source. Epidemiological and traceback investigations identified small tomatoes from Sicily as the suspect food vehicle. Stringent control measures at the source are needed to stop the contamination and prevent future cases.
Authors
- Ivan Mlinarić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8546-6331)
- Marija Trkov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7583-0808)
- Aoife Colgan
- Steen Ethelberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9709-356X)
- S. Filipović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0028-8174)
- Anaïs Painset (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3569-6530)
- V. Rizzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5870-5220)
- Iva Pem-Novosel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3836-7454)
- Lynda Browning (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3509-839X)
- Michaela Špačková (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4557-1910)
- Corinna Ernst (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6495-8033)
- Nathalie Jourdan‐Da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2305-4442)
- Anni Vainio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3276-9192)
- Christian Kornschober (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9421-0572)
- Mateja Pirš (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2858-9876)
- Joël Mossong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0717-9835)
- Jennie Fischer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-0420)
- Eva Grilc (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8763-6196)
- Gauri Godbole
- Ivana Ferenčak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9285-9052)
- Marie Anne Chattaway (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5288-9089)
- Patricia Garvey
- Ann Hoban
- Ondřej Daniel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0404-6589)
- Sabine Maritschnik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4635-8843)
- Florian Commans
- Marina C. Lamparter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9107-6112)
- Martin Cormican (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8023-1882)
- Nadja Karamehmedovic
- Eleonora Sarno
- Roger Stephan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1002-4762)
- Sandra Simon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1047-6283)
- Maren I. Lanzl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3425-3645)
- Taina Niskanen
- María Pardos de la Gándara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3273-6392)
- Anika Meinen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9244-9486)
- Michael Biggel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1337-2132)
- Ana Gverić Grginić
- Lin T. Brandal
- Derek Brown (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3742-8257)
- Pernille Gymoese (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5645-8737)
- Ruska Rimhanen‐Finne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2867-7921)
- Dirk Werber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8076-788X)
- Alexandra Moura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0339-1230)
- Wesley Mattheus (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7122-1578)
- Dragan Jurić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6564-1616)
- Michelle Raess
- Catherine Ragimbeau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7399-2379)
- Cecilia Jernberg (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1112-5306)
- Roan Pijnacker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6408-3074)
- Michael Pietsch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4807-3244)
- Rikard Dryselius
- Sara Mazzilli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7989-0661)
- Luise Müller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8833-8062)
- P McKeown
- Heidi Lange
- Christina Clarke
- L Böff
- Vivien Brait
- Natalia Marta Zmarlak-Feher
- Andreas Wolfsbauer
Institutions
- Statens Serum Institut (DK)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- European Food Safety Authority (IT)
- Department of Health and Social Care (GB)
- Public Health Agency of Sweden (SE)
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NO)
- University of Ljubljana (SI)
- Institut Pasteur (FR)
- Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway (IE)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Université Paris Cité (FR)
- Charles University (CZ)
- Robert Koch Institute (DE)
- Health Protection Scotland (GB)
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (DE)
- University Hospital Galway (IE)
- Health Service Executive (IE)
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (FI)
- Institute of Public Health Bengaluru (IN)
- Santé Publique France (FR)
- Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo (HR)
- Luxembourg Institute of Health (LU)
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (NL)
- Federal Office of Public Health (CH)
- Croatian Veterinary Institute (HR)
- Public Health Scotland (GB)
- National Institute of Public Health (SI)
- National Institute of Public Health (LA)
- Public Health Agency (GB)
- Health Protection Surveillance Centre (IE)
- National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food (SI)
- National Institute of Public Health (CZ)
- Laboratoire National de Santé (LU)
- Sciensano (Belgium) (BE)
- Institut thématique Santé Publique (FR)
- University of Defence (RS)
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AT)
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SE)
- University of Defence (CZ)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Eurosurveillance
- Published
- 2025-10-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.es.2025.30.41.2500224
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.32
Funders
- European Commission
- Bundesministerium für Gesundheit
- Ministerstvo Zdravotnictví Ceské Republiky
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health