title: Salmonella-based rodenticides and public health.
abstract: Several countries still permit strains of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis, a leading cause of gastrointestinal illness in humans, to be used in rat baits. To assess the human health risk associated with such rat bait, we first reviewed historic data on health hazards associated with Ratin, a rodenticide that was used in Europe until the early 1960s. Ratin caused outbreaks of human illness, including several deaths. We then compared S. Enteritidis isolated from a current commercial product, Biorat, with S. Enteritidis from Ratin and found that the strains were both phage type 6a. Based on the similarity of the strains, currently available Salmonella-based rodenticides likely are as great a threat to public health as past strains were. Health officials should be aware that the continued use of Salmonella-based rodenticides is a risk to public health and should take appropriate measures to prevent use in their jurisdictions.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Painter
authors.forename: Kåre
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mølbak
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sonne-Hansen
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Joy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Tauxe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D051381:Rats; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D012477:Salmonella enteritidis
chemical_list: D012378:Rodenticides