As international literature reports, the isolation of Salmonella spp. from commercial rabbitries is considered to be sporadic and, usually, of scarce pathological relevance. Nevertheless, having several outbreaks being reported in rabbit breeding farms in the north-eastern part of Italy in 1997, we decided to investigate the infection prevalence. Approximately 2700 fecal and environmental swabs were collected in 23 commercial rabbitries, and in each farm feedingstuffs were also sampled. Samples were individually processed by traditional cultural methods. Salmonella spp. was isolated from 7 farms (30.4 per cent), whereas all feed samples were negative. Serotyping of isolates identified S. Indiana (6 units) and S. Typhimurium (1 unit). In the rabbitry where S. Typhimurium was widespread economic losses were high, due to haemorrhagic necrotic metritis in does and to septicemia and haemorrhagic enteritis in suckling animals. S. Indiana did not appear to affect rabbits health condition. Results pointed out the high percentage of salmonella free commercial rabbitries but emphasized the prevalence of S. Indiana infection: this serotype represents a possible source of meat contamination at the slaughterhouse, although not influencing animal productive and sanitary parameters. S. Typhimurium instead appeared as highly pathogen for rabbits. Moreover, due to its multidrug resistance pattern, it represents an hazard for human health and its low prevalence allows to consider the possibility of eradicating the infection rather than controlling it.