[Epidemiologic study of 2 S. typhimurium outbreaks using plasmid fingerprints]

An outbreak of salmonellosis in an old people's home is reported. The infectious agent, S. typhi-murium, was isolated not only from several inmates but also from sick cows of the farm belonging to the home, in animal feed, from employees of the local butcher's shop, and finally in sludge from the local sewage plant. Plasmid analysis provided evidence of a common origin for the isolated S. typhi-murium strains. The incriminated strains harboured, together with two low-molecular-weight plasmids, a plasmid of approximately 50 Mdal, which was also demonstrated in some other S. typhi-murium strains isolated from clinical cases in the area around St. Gallen.