Today, the turkey industry produces more than 5.3 billion pounds of turkey products annually.¹ In three decades, the turkey industry has gone from marketing a single product that was mainly consumed around holidays and special occasions to offering a range of products, from sausages to burgers to deli meats and more. Consumers are including more turkey in their diets because of the health benefits and versatility in product choices. But just as turkey products have become more diverse and popular, so has the public demand and expectation for safe and wholesome meat products.

Foodborne Illness Rates Drop, But Outbreaks Persist

For the first time in decades, the incidence rate of Salmonella infections has dropped significantly to 13.3%. According to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) of the CDC’s Emerging Infections Program, overall incidences of infections caused by enteric pathogens decreased 26% in 2020 compared to 2017-2019.² While the fall in overall incidence rates is encouraging, three human outbreaks of salmonellosis due to turkey products have been documented since 2017. The risk of illness due to turkey products, particularly ground turkey, remains a public health concern.³ Control strategies in pre-harvest production have focused on management, biosecurity and vaccination, with vaccination demonstrating significant utility in reducing Salmonella prevalence in turkey flocks,^4,5,6 and therefore helping prevent the contamination of turkey products.

Vaccines Reduce Salmonella Infections in Live Production which Translates to Lower Contamination through Farm-to-Fork Continuum

Vaccines help limit Salmonella transmission on farms and reduce the amount of Salmonella that birds carry into processing plants — where even the most effective interventions may not stop contaminated food from reaching consumers. Since 2010, the poultry industry has rapidly increased its use of vaccines, which has helped reduce contamination and human illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium and S. Heidelberg in the U.S.^7,8

Five years ago Elanco impacted how turkey producers could help reduce Salmonella contamination and human illnesses with the use of AviPro® Megan® Egg as part of a vaccination program.

AviPro Megan Egg Develops Protective Immunity in Turkeys

With increasing government interest in targeting Salmonella control in the pre-harvest stage and processing^9,10, there is also increased interest in using alternative products in Salmonella control programs that address risk at all stages of turkey production. A comprehensive Salmonella control program should involve all opportunities of Salmonella entry into the supply chain. Vaccination is one component of a Salmonella control program that provides the turkey hen and poult protective immunity to control Salmonella infections. 

Both live and inactivated Salmonella vaccines are available for use in turkey breeders. Since 2016, AviPro Megan Egg is the only USDA-licensed live Salmonella vaccine in the U.S. available for turkey breeders and commercial poults. The vaccine is easily applied in the hatchery or on the farm at one day of age using a coarse spray application. Booster vaccinations in the drinking water enhance protection against infections during the brood and grow-out period.

A Salmonella control program that includes vaccination of turkey breeders with live and inactivated vaccines can have an impact on reducing Salmonella transmission to offspring. Maternal antibody provided by immunized breeder hens is important in protecting poults against infections during brooding when poults are most sensitive to Salmonella infections. Continued protective immunity can be achieved by applying the vaccine in a coarse spray to commercial poults to stimulate long-term local, humoral and cell-mediated immunity through the life of the bird.

Vaccination of turkey breeders and poults is critical to an effective Salmonella control strategy, along with preventive biosecurity practices, to reduce the burden of Salmonella in flocks. Reducing Salmonella in pre-harvest production lowers the risk of contamination of turkey products, and in turn helps achieve the goal of reducing Salmonella foodborne illness.

Producers can contact their Elanco Technical Consultant to discuss ways to develop a well-planned vaccine program or learn more about AviPro Megan Egg and other Elanco solutions for Salmonella.

AviPro and Megan are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates.