Explore the recorded discovery and history of Salmonella enterica, with source links and stated limits.
S. enterica is divided into six subspecies, and subspecies enterica alone contains thousands of serotypes including Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Typhi and Paratyphi. This profile follows the types that cause diarrheal illness, called salmonellosis; typhoid and paratyphoid fever are caused by separate serotypes and are not covered here. CDC estimates about 1.35 million US infections a year and notes that only 1 in every 30 is diagnosed. Illness usually resolves in about a week, but PHAC notes that 5% of people recovering from non-typhoidal salmonellosis can shed the bacteria for 20 weeks and some carriers for years.
LPSN records the name as revived from earlier use by Kauffmann and Edwards in 1952, noted in the nomenclatural record as ex Kauffmann and Edwards 1952.
LPSN records Le Minor and Popoff 1987 as the naming authority, published in the International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology as a request for an opinion designating Salmonella enterica as the type and only species of the genus.
LPSN records that Judicial Opinion 80 in 2005 made Salmonella enterica the new type species of the genus, replacing S. choleraesuis. The type strain is LT2 (ATCC 43971).
These references do not establish the first person ever infected. Discovery, naming and isolation milestones do not date biological origin or a patient zero.
Source check: 2026-09-17. Educational content; independent scientific review remains pending.