Major Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens in Poultry: Implications for Human Health and the Poultry Industry and Probiotic Mitigation Strategies

Poultry production has become the fastest-growing sector in global meat supply. However, the intensification of poultry farming has increased the risk of zoonotic transmission of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria monocytogenes. These bacterial agents pose major public health concerns, contributing to millions of human infections annually and substantial economic losses. Historically, antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) were widely used to mitigate disease burden and improve poultry productivity. Yet, the global shift away from AGPs due to concerns over antimicrobial resistance has spurred interest in antimicrobial alternatives. Among these, probiotics have been explored as a promising preharvest intervention. This review investigates major bacterial foodborne pathogens associated with poultry and evaluates the practical implementation of probiotic-based strategies in modern poultry production systems, with the goal of reducing pathogen load and enhancing overall food safety.