[Non-typhoid salmonellosis in in a basic health area of Navarra, Spain]

Salmonella gastro-enteritis is a Zoonoses transmitted by the ingestion of food products and water or fomites contaminated by the faeces of infected people or animals. At present, constitutes a world-wide pandemic. The aim of the present study has been to in progress examine cases of non-typhoidal salmonellosis in the Health Area I of Navarra (376,079 inhabitants).

39,697 outpatient specimens submitted for culture during 1993-2000 were analysed retrospectively. Standard procedures to isolate enteropathogens were employed. The Salmonella strains were serotyped. Data was collected on age, sex, specimen date and result of culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing for all isolates.

2,924 salmonellae were isolated (7.4%) with the most frequent serotype being Salmonella Enteritidis (62%). The highest isolation rate was associated with children, particularly infants (1,117.3 per 100,000 inhabitants). Salmonella Typhimurium was typically more resistant than Salmonella Enteritidis, although resistance rates in both have increased in recent time.

In spite of the socio-economic improvements, the incidence of gastro-enteritis associated with Salmonella spp. has continued to increase in recent years, mainly affecting infants, and constitutes an important public health problem.