title: Hospital Salmonella johannesburg infection and its possible role in the community spread of the infection in Hong Kong.
abstract: Salmonella johannesburg (1, 40: b: e, n, x), a previously rare salmonella serotype, has established itself rapidly as an important and highly prevalent cause of gastroenteritis among children. The clinical features of the infection are usually mild but chronic. It has been suggested that S. johannesburg was introduced into Hong Kong through imported foods but no common vehicle could be traced as the source of infection. A thorough investigation of one paediatric ward in a general hospital revealed that non-infected patients admitted to the ward usually acquired S. johannesburg infection within 3-7 days, with or without symptoms. Thus hospital cross-infection could be a significant factor in contributing to its rapid spread in the community. Furthermore, the rapidity with which S. johannesburg spread was facilitated by (a) its tendency to produce a chronic infection, (b) its multiple resistance to antibiotics, and (c) the higher infectivity of S. johannesburg over other salmonellas endemic in this locality. These factors combined with the overcrowded conditions in many of the hospitals in Hong Kong facilitated the occurrence of hospital infection, which in its turn contributed to the spread of the infection in the local community.
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
references.citation: J Appl Bacteriol. 1976 Oct;41(2):283-94
references.pmid: 11204
references.citation: Mon Bull Minist Health Public Health Lab Serv. 1965 Jul;24:164-229 CONTD
references.pmid: 14345990
references.citation: Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand. 1952;31(4):586-7
references.pmid: 13030221
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 1973 Sep;128(3):357-60
references.pmid: 4738032