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The pathogenicity of strains of Salmonella paratyphi B and Salmonella java
1Laboratory of Enteric Pathogens, Division of Gastrointestinal Infections, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, UK. hchart@phls.org.uk
Aims:
To relate the diseases caused by strains of Salmonella paratyphi B and S. java to pathogenic mechanisms expressed by these bacteria for the purpose of organism discrimination.
Methods And Results:
Epidemiological data relating to cases of disease caused by strains of S. paratyphi B and S. java, isolated over a 10-year period, were analysed with respect to patients' symptoms, particularly those involving enteric fever. Strains of S. paratyphi B and S. java were also examined for a range of known pathogenic mechanisms. Infection with S. paratyphi B involved pyrexia in 12.5% of patients compared with 2.2% of patients infected with S. java. These organisms could not be differentiated based on the pathogenic properties examined.
Conclusions:
Strains of S. paratyphi B appear not to be a major cause of enteric fever but primarily a cause of gastroenteritis, in common with S. java. Both organisms express similar pathogenic mechanisms, and strains of S. java are probably d-tartrate utilizing variants of S. paratyphi B.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
Strains of S. paratyphi B are very closely related organisms, primarily causing gastroenteritis. From this study it would appear that strains of S. paratyphi B are not a major cause of enteric fever.