Salmonella is one of the leading causes of intestinal illness all over the world as well as the etiological agent of
more severe systemic diseases such as typhoid and paratyphoid fevers. While water is known to be a common
vehicle for the transmission of typhoidal Salmonella serovars, non-typhoidal salmonellae are mainly known as
foodborne pathogens. This paper provides a brief review of the last ten years of peer reviewed publications on
the prevalence of Salmonella in natural freshwaters and drinking waters, and on the relevance of these sources
for Salmonella dissemination. In industrialized countries, Salmonella was rarely reported in water-borne
outbreaks despite it being frequently detected in surface waters including recreational waters and waters
used for irrigation or as a drinking water source. Consistent contamination with irrigation waters has been
shown to be a common route of crop contamination in produces related Salmonella outbreaks. Multiple drug
resistant (MDR) Salmonella strains, that represent an increased hazard for human health and that may
contribute to the dissemination of drug resistances were also detected in surface water in developed
countries. Surface runoff was shown to play a main role as driver of Salmonella load in surface waters.
Accordingly, analysis of serovars indicated a mixed human and animal origin of Salmonella contribution to
surface waters, emphasizing the role of wild life animals in water contamination. Data relating to Salmonella
prevalence in surface and drinking water in developing countries are quite rare. Nevertheless, data on waterborne
outbreaks as well as case control studies investigating the risk factors for endemic typhoid fever
confirmed the relevance of water as source for the transmission of this disease. In addition epidemiological
studies and Salmonella surveys, consistently provided an undeniable evidence of the relevance of MDR
Salmonella Typhi strains in water-borne typhoid fever in developing countries.