Salmonellosis in cattle: Advantages of being an experimental model

Salmonellosis is an important disease of cattle caused predominantly by Salmonella enterica serotypes Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) and Dublin (S. dublin). S. typhimurium causes acute enteritis and exudative diarrhea in calves. In addition to enteric disease, S. dublin can cause systemic infections, and may cause abortion in pregnant cows. Calves are considered a relevant model for non-typhoidal salmonellosis in humans. Experimental oral infections or inoculation of ligated ileal loops in calves have been extensively studied recently. This article reviews relevant published results regarding bovine salmonellosis as a natural disease or as an animal model.