Bacteraemia due to non-typhoidal Salmonella in Thailand: clinical and microbiological analysis

The prevalence of non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) bacteraemia has risen in many countries and is probably related to the increase in HIV infection. There is little information regarding NTS bacteraemia in Thailand, where the HIV infection rate increased 13.6-fold during the period 1992-2004. This study aimed at surveying the prevalence as well as analysing the clinical and microbiological features of NTS bacteraemia at a large university hospital in Thailand. Patients with positive blood cultures for NTS during 2005 were retrospectively reviewed for their demographics, underlying diseases and microbiological profiles. A total of 135 patients had NTS bacteraemia. Salmonella group C was predominant. The most common underlying disease was HIV infection. Up to 30% of NTS isolates were identified as multidrug resistant. This study should prompt an alert regarding the evolving pattern of NTS bacteraemia in Thailand.