GENOMIC ANALYSIS OF AN OUTBREAK ISOLATE OF SALMONELLA ENTERICASEROVARENTERITIDIS ST11 FROMCAYAR, SENEGAL

Salmonella enterica is a bacterial species that groups +2,600 serotypes, many of which being capable of infecting humans and animals. Salmonella infects its hosts by the oral route, and causes two types of diseases, a gastroenteritis and an invasive infection. Salmonella gastroenteritis is a self-limited infection that is restricted to the gastrointestinal tract, and is frequent worldwide. In contrast, invasive salmonellosis is a systemic, life-threatening disease that is mostly found in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) where Salmonella transmission is favored by poor hygiene conditions. In Senegal, like in other sub-Saharan African countries, Salmonella gastroenteritis outbreaks are frequent, and, in many cases, investigations, when conducted, are typically limited to isolating, identifying and performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing. In this study, we used a whole genome sequencing approach to conduct a genomic characterization of a Salmonella enterica outbreak in Cayar, a coastal town located 40 km from Dakar, capital of Senegal. Our results showed that the responsible clone belonged to a global epidemic group of serovarEnteritidis isolates that are frequently associated with gastroenteritis in various countries worldwide.