Multi-drug resistant Salmonella Java infections acquired from tropical fish aquariums, Australia, 2003-04.
Antibiotic resistant Salmonella infections are rare in Australia. We investigated an increase in multidrug resistant Salmonella Paratyphi B biovar Java (S. Java) infections in Australia during 2003-04. Eighty-two per cent (18/22) of S. Java cases enrolled into the study reported that they had been in contact with aquariums housing fish during their incubation period. Seventy-two per cent (13/18) of cases were infected with strains that were resistant to ApSmTcCmSuSp (ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, spectinomycin). Case households commonly reported high risk behaviours, such as cleaning aquaria in sinks. Sixty-one per cent (11/18) of cases reported that fish in their aquarium had been sick or died in the week prior to their illness, and S. Java was isolated from the water or gravel of 5 cases. These antibiotic strains are being spread internationally and may become endemic in countries importing tropical fish or result in transfer of resistance to other more common Salmonella serotypes.
Musto
Jennie
J
Communicable Diseases Branch, New South Wales Department of Health, North Sydney, New South Wales.
Kirk
Martyn
M
Lightfoot
Diane
D
Combs
Barry G
BG
Mwanri
Lillian
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000382:microbiology*; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects*; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents