title: Salmonella bacteraemia in a tertiary children's hospital.
abstract: A retrospective study was conducted between July 1990 and July 2002 to investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and the outcome of Salmonella bacteraemia in children. A total of 148 episodes of bacteraemia were identified in 144 children. The annual incidence ranged from 1.6 to 8.3 cases per 100,000 children < or = 14 y of age, and higher numbers of cases occurred in summer than in winter months. In 22 children the bacteraemia was caused by S. typhi and in 122 by S. non-typhi. S. enteritidis was the most common serotype isolated. Resistance to ampicillin was exhibited by 28.5% of Salmonella isolates, whereas all S. typhi isolates were susceptible to commonly used antibiotics. The mean age was 40.3 months (range 50 d to 14 y). Children with S. typhi bacteraemia were significantly older than children with S. non-typhi bacteraemia (7.8 vs 2.4 y, p < 0.01). 11 children were immunosuppressed. The immunosuppressed children had longer duration of fever, longer hospitalization stay, and higher relapse rates compared to normal children (p < 0.05). Four children developed complications and 1 died. Although the incidence of S. typhi bacteraemia is decreasing, the non-typhi species continue to cause significant morbidity in our geographical region.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Paediatrics, Athens University Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papaevangelou
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Syriopoulou
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charissiadou
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pangalis
authors.forename: Glykeria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mostrou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theodoridou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents