Nontyphoidal Salmonella infection among recipients of hematopoietic SCT

The incidence of nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections is rising worldwide and several outbreaks have been reported recently. Immunosuppressed patients are particularly vulnerable to NTS infections. We retrospectively examined the clinical features and outcomes of 18 recipients of hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) who were diagnosed with NTS infection at our institution during a 15-year period. Bacteremia was the most common presenting feature and occurred in 67% of cases. Diarrhea was absent in one-third of cases. Among 12 recipients of allogeneic HSCT, 8 presented with bacteremia and only 6 had diarrhea. A total of 9 of these 12 patients had chronic GVHD. Metastatic disease was distinctly rare and occurred in only two patients, whereas one patient died of NTS sepsis. Food safety practices to prevent NTS infection are important in HSCT recipients, particularly for those who have chronic GVHD after allogeneic HSCT.