[Quinolone resistance in Salmonella enterica]

Nalidixic acid resistance is a marker of quinolone sensibility in Salmonella spp. In our laboratory we observed an increase of nalidixic acid resistant strains from 0.44% in 1990 to 13.7% in 1996. The purpose of this work was to study the evolution of nalidixic acid resistance in Salmonella spp., as well as the association with certain serotypes and the cross-resistance to others agents. A total of 1,782 isolates of Salmonella enterica were studied from fecal and blood sources over a 7-year period; 45 strains (2.52%) were resistant to nalidixic acid (MIC > 16 microgram/ml). Two isolates required 2 microgram/ml of ciprofloxacin for inhibition, while the remaining 43 strains required 1 microgram/ml. The most frequent serotypes in nalidixic acid resistant strains were the following: enteritidis (33.3%), hadar (31.11%) and virchow (15.5%). In 1996, enteritidis was the predominant serotype (13/31), and hadar serotype was found to have the greatest nalidixic acid resistance at 80% of strains. No differences of sensibility to other agents were detected between the nalidixic acid resistant group and nalidixic acid sensitive strains. This type of resistance appears regularly in uncommon serotypes such as hadar. The increasing incidence of resistant isolates in enteritidis in 1996 is of even greater concern.