title: Invasive disease due to Salmonella virchow: a north Queensland problem.
abstract: Salmonella virchow is the second most commonly isolated salmonella serotype from human sources in Australia, and overseas studies indicate that S. virchow is a significant cause of extraintestinal salmonellosis. The successful management of three infants, two with septicaemia and one with leptomeningitis and septicaemia due to S. virchow, is described. A review of the Townsville General Hospital laboratory records (1978-1988) showed that, among other aspects, S. virchow accounted for 46% of all salmonella septicaemias, further exemplifying the invasive propensity of this serotype. Information obtained from various sources, after crude analyses, demonstrates that more than 90% of S. virchow infections in humans in Australia occur in Queensland, and that most (greater than 78% in 1987) of those infections in Queensland come from a coastal zone north of Bundaberg, with the highest concentration (0.4 per 1000 persons) occurring in the Cairns region.
authors.affiliation: Townsville General Hospital, Qld.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Ashdown
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012703:Serotyping