Geographic Distributions of Top Beef Salmonella Serovars in the U.S.

Researchers analyzed publicly available data on Salmonella occurrence on raw beef products in the United States. Using machine learning and species distribution modeling, they identified areas and factors influencing the presence of individual Salmonella serovars. Some serovars, such as Dublin, Montevideo, and Muenchen, show strong regional prevalence, while others, such as Anatum, are found broadly distributed across the country. Major predictors of occurrence included ecoregions (7 out of 15 serovars), avian flyways (8 out of 15), the number of local cattle operations (3 out of 15), and other environmental factors. The research demonstrated that certain Salmonella serovars associated with beef show regional trends that can be predicted.