Prevalence of Salmonella serotypes in India: a 61-year study

During the period 1958-73, 8 027 strains of Salmonella were tested at the National Salmonella and Escherichia Centre: 3 834 strains from man, 3 018 from animals, 839 from sewage and water sources, and 336 of unknown origin. A total of 99 serotypes were identified: 47 from man, 83 from animals, and 35 from sewage and water sources. S. typhi was the commonest serotype in man, followed by S. weltevreden and S. paratyphi A. S. typhimurium was the commonest serotype isolated from animals, followed by S. weltevreden and S. anatum. In sewage and other water sources S. weltevreden was the commonest serotype identified followed by S. typhimurium and S. bareilly. Infection due to S. weltevreden in both man and animals increased considerably after 1970. Out of a total of 99 serotypes isolated from different sources, 13 were isolated from man only, 49 from animals only, 34 from both man and animals, 30 from both animals and water sources, and 22 from man, animals, and water sources.