Control of Salmonella infections in animals and prevention of human foodborne Salmonella infections. WHO Consultation.

In many countries the incidence of human salmonella infections has markedly increased in recent years. To discuss recent developments and current understanding on the control of salmonella infections in animals, WHO organized a Consultation on the Control of Salmonella Infections in Animals: Prevention of Foodborne Salmonella Infections in Humans, held in Jena, Germany, on 21-26 November 1993. The present article summarizes the recommendations made by the participants on the pathoimmunogenesis, diagnosis, epidemiology, and control of salmonella infections and contaminations in animal production.     

Laboratory-based surveillance of nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in China

Foodborne infections are an important public health problem in China. In 2008, we conducted surveillance for laboratory-confirmed nontyphoidal Salmonella to monitor trends for this infection in China and to build capacity for rapid detection and response to foodborne outbreaks. Salmonella isolates from patients with diarrhea were sent from hospitals to local public health laboratories for confirmation, serotyping, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A total of 126 hospitals in 44 cities and counties from 8 provinces provided isolates and epidemiologic data for analysis. Of 23,140 stool specimens submitted to clinical laboratories, 662 (3%) grew Salmonella enterica. Salmonella were most commonly detected between April and October. The median age of infected patients was 27 years; 34% of infections occurred in patients <5 years old. Of the 662 isolates, we found 73 serotypes, of which serotype Enteritidis (31%) and serotype Typhimurium (26%) were the most common. The prevalence of resistance was high for clinically important antimicrobial agents, including ampicillin (41%) and ciprofloxacin (6%). More than 60% of isolates, including 35% of all Typhimurium, were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. In this first multiprovince surveillance report of laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infections in China, we found that Enteritidis and Typhimurium are the most common serotypes and that efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella in China are needed. Although no outbreaks were detected using this system, efforts to improve this system's capacity to do so are underway.     

降钙素原用于沙门菌属感染诊断的初步评估

目的 初步评估降钙素原(PCT)用于诊断沙门菌属感染的可行性.方法 以医院231例疑似沙门菌属感染者的PCT和肥达反应进行回顾性统计分析,了解PCT在不同肥达反应结果中的分布规律.结果 231份标本中有肥达反应阳性78份,PCT阳性131份；肥达反应与PCT均阳性42例,二者均阴性89例,两者差异无统计学意义；无论肥达反应为阳性或阴性,PCT大多数均＜1.0 ng/ml,分别占88.1％和89.9％,其中PCT主要位于0.05～0.50,分别占66.7％和68.5％,两者差异也均无统计学意义；PCT＜0.05 ng/ml时,肥达反应阳性36例；0.05＜PCT＜1.00 ng/ml时,肥达反应阳性37例,两者差异无统计学意义.结论 PCT在肥达反应阴性或阳性时阳性率、升高幅度、测定值分布情况均相似,缺乏特异性,不能满足临床检测指标的性能要求,故不推荐将PCT作为常规检测项目用于沙门菌属感染的诊断.     

Salmonella infections in hospital. A report from the public health laboratory Service Salmonella Subcommittee

From 1968 to 1977 there were reports of 522 hospital outbreaks in England and Wales due to salmonella infection, comprising 32–50 per cent of all general outbreaks of salmonellosis each year. Analysis in more detail of 197 hospital outbreaks from 1974 to 1977 showed more in maternity, children's and geriatric wards than in medical or surgical wards; extensive outbreaks have taken place in hospitals for the mentally ill and mentally handicapped. There were more outbreaks in the warmer weather than during the winter. Thirty-six different serotypes were involved, the commonest being Salmonella typhimurium. There were 42 deaths in which salmonella infection may have been a contributory factor, 2% of all patients and staff known to be infected. The source of infection was recorded in 76 (39%) of the outbreaks; 24 were considered to be food-borne and in 52 transmission was by other routes.Methods to prevent and control salmonella infection in hospital are discussed.     

Foreign travel and decreased ciprofloxacin susceptibility in Salmonella enterica infections

To determine antimicrobial drug resistance patterns, we characterized nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica strains isolated in Liverpool, UK, January 2003 through December 2009. Decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was found in 103 (20.9%) of 492 isolates. The lower susceptibility was associated with ciprofloxacin treatment failures and with particular serovars and phage types often acquired during foreign travel.     

Increase in extraintestinal infections caused by Salmonella enterica subspecies II-IV

To garner information regarding site of infection and age and sex of persons infected with Salmonella enterica subspecies II-IV, we retrospectively analyzed data on Salmonella spp. infections in California, USA, 1985-2009. These subspecies were found to cause significantly more frequent invasive disease (e.g., bacteremia) than did Salmonella subspecies I strains.