[Non-typhoid salmonellosis in in a basic health area of Navarra, Spain].
BACKGROUND
Salmonella gastro-enteritis is a Zoonoses transmitted by the ingestion of food products and water or fomites contaminated by the faeces of infected people or animals. At present, constitutes a world-wide pandemic. The aim of the present study has been to in progress examine cases of non-typhoidal salmonellosis in the Health Area I of Navarra (376,079 inhabitants).


METHODS
39,697 outpatient specimens submitted for culture during 1993-2000 were analysed retrospectively. Standard procedures to isolate enteropathogens were employed. The Salmonella strains were serotyped. Data was collected on age, sex, specimen date and result of culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing for all isolates.


RESULTS
2,924 salmonellae were isolated (7.4%) with the most frequent serotype being Salmonella Enteritidis (62%). The highest isolation rate was associated with children, particularly infants (1,117.3 per 100,000 inhabitants). Salmonella Typhimurium was typically more resistant than Salmonella Enteritidis, although resistance rates in both have increased in recent time.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the socio-economic improvements, the incidence of gastro-enteritis associated with Salmonella spp. has continued to increase in recent years, mainly affecting infants, and constitutes an important public health problem.
Gil-Setas
Alberto
A
Laboratorio de Microbiología, Ambulatorio General Solchaga, C/ San Fermin 29, 31004 Pamplona. agilseta@cfnavarra.es
Mazón Ramos
Ana
A
Martín Salas
Carmen
C
Urtiaga Domínguez
Mikel
M
Inza Elia
M Eugenia
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012478:Salmonella Food Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology