European multinational outbreak of Salmonella Umbilo linked to rocket salad and baby spinach traced to buffalo farms in Italy, 2024 to 2025
Following RASFF Alert 2024.7033 (Salmonella Umbilo in rocket from Italy), an investigation was conducted on three buffalo farms in Salerno, Southern Italy, located near the horticultural company implicated in the production of contaminated rocket salad and baby spinach linked to the outbreak. Salmonella Umbilo was isolated from faecal samples of buffalo calves in one of the three farms, and whole-genome sequencing confirmed a genetic match with the outbreak strain. Irrigation channels positioned close to animal housing were identified as potential contamination pathways. Corrective measures were promptly implemented to minimise the risk of further contamination.
Authors
- Lisa Barco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6247-248X)
- Anna Balestrieri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6818-5628)
- Maurizio Della Rotonda
- Sara Petrin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6912-2266)
- Donato de Nicola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5903-4286)
- Giovanna Serluca
- Giorgio Galiero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7031-7826)
- Domenico Alfano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-7865-0544)
- Sabato De Vita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5130-0682)
- Alfonso Gallo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2489-2547)
- Yolande Thérèse Rose Proroga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2748-9286)
- Silvano Salaris (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8389-7460)
- Antonio Guarnieri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3949-4143)
- Carmelo Morena
- Rossana Ferraro
- Giovanni Cenere
Institutions
- University of Salerno (IT)
- Animal Welfare Institute (US)
- Regione Campania (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IT)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Veterinary Research
- Published
- 2025-12-18
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-025-01663-0
- Primary Topic
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00