[Salmonellosis in Poland in 1999]

In 1999, 23,436 cases of salmonellosis were reported to the sanitary epidemiological stations, incidence rate = 60.6 per 100,000 population. The cases occurred throughout the year, but the seasonal peak was noted in July and August. More than 75% of cases were laboratory confirmed by isolation Salmonella strains (56 serotypes). 75 serotypes were identified by bacteriological testing of different groups of persons (ill and healthy). The most frequent serotype--S. Enteritidis: was identified in specimens taken from 92% of cases and 75% of Salmonella infected healthy persons. Other serotypes--Typhimurium, Infantis, Hadar and Virchow, caused 5% Salmonella cases only. Nearly 63% of patients were hospitalized. As in the previous years, children aged five and less comprised the most affected age group (347.3/100,000). The extraintestinal manifestations were observed in 55 patients with at least one non-fecal specimen culture-positive for non-typhoidal Salmonella. Half of the patients had immunocompromising conditions. Five of those patients died.