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Quasi-metagenomic Analysis of Salmonella from Food and Environmental Samples
06:12

Quasi-metagenomic Analysis of Salmonella from Food and Environmental Samples

Published on: October 25, 2018

Nationwide pseudo-outbreak of Salmonella enterica ssp. diarizonae, France

J M Thiolet1, N Jourdan-Da Silva, A Reggiani

  • 1Institut de Veille Sanitaire, Département des Maladies Infectieuses, Saint-Maurice, France. jm.thiolet@invs.sante.fr

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
|August 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

An increase in Salmonella enterica infections was linked to contaminated sheep blood agar used in French hospitals in 2008. This contamination of bacterial culture media highlights a critical issue in laboratory safety and patient care.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Food Safety

Background:

  • An unusual rise in Salmonella enterica infections was observed in France in 2008.
  • The specific serotype involved was identified as Salmonella enterica ssp. diarizonae serotype 61:k:1,5,7.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause of the increased incidence of Salmonella enterica infections.
  • To identify the source of contamination in bacterial cultures.

Main Methods:

  • Review of medical records of patients with Salmonella enterica infections.
  • Trace-back investigations of materials used in invasive procedures and bacterial culture.
  • Analysis of culture media, specifically sheep blood agar.

Main Results:

  • Medical records and trace-back investigations identified contaminated sheep blood agar as the source.
  • The contaminated culture media led to the increased incidence of Salmonella enterica serotype 61:k:1,5,7.

Conclusions:

  • Contaminated sheep blood agar was the cause of the Salmonella enterica outbreak in France in 2008.
  • Ensuring the sterility of culture media is crucial for preventing healthcare-associated infections.

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