The goal of our study was to characterize the proportions and seasonal prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. in fermented sausages, sosis and salami. A total of 192 samples consisting of sausage (n=96), sosis (n=48) and salami (n=48) purchased from different butcher shops and markets in the Elazig Province of eastern Turkey for one year duration were processed and tested by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of E. coli O157:H7, Listeria spp. and Salmonella spp. L. innocua was found to be the most predominant Listeria spp. in fermented sausages and sosis whereas, L. monocytogenes (1.04%) and Salmonella spp. (1.04%) were detected at much lower prevalence in fermented sausage. No L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. were determined in salami samples. In addition, no Salmonella spp. was detected in sosis samples. L. welshimeri (12.5%) was observed most frequently on salami samples. No E. coli O157:H7 was isolated in any samples of fermented sausage, sosis and salami. Seasonal prevalence of Listeria spp. in fermented sausages, sosis and salami was highest in July, with no L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. being isolated during autumn, winter and spring months of the year. Although the proportion of L. monocytogenes in fermented sausages and sosis is much lower in the current study, the presence of L. monocytogenes in these samples in the Elazig Province of eastern Turkey could still present a major public health threat.

Key words: E. coli O157:H7, Listeria spp., Salami, Salmonella spp, Sausage, Sosis