[Salmonellosis: retrospective study of 136 cases hospitalized at the C.H.U. of Tours]

Abstract

136 cases of salmonellosis were seen in the Tours Hospital Center from 1965 to 1971. Salmonella typhi produced 32 cases of typhoid fever and 2 focal infections: a bacterial pleural effusion and an osteoarthritis. Salmonella para B induced 16 cases of typhoid fever. All these 50 patients were given chloramphenicol that was effective in vitro and in vivo as well. They usually exhibited very few and mild signs or symptoms but long lasting fever. Complications were very rare. There was no death. Paradoxically, the 86 "minor" salmonellosis (i.e. caused by other Salmonella species than S. typhi, S. paratyphi A, B or C) exhibited a much more overt symptomatology. Though all the "major" salmonellosis occurred in previously healthy patients and caused no death, the "minor" salmonellosis occurred mostly in seriously ill patients and had a lethal outcome for 5 out of 86. There was no typhoid fever epidemic in Touraine during recent years. Lysotyping ruled out the hypothesis of an endemic local reservoir. On the other hand, two hospital outbreaks of "minor" salmonellosis were recognized: one in a psychiatric ward due to S. java in 1967, the other in a pediatric ward due to S. wien in 1971-1972 respectively.