Extraintestinal infections caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella from a tertiary care center in India

Abstract

Background: Infection with Salmonella has become an increasing problem worldwide. Recently, nontyphoid Salmonella (NTS) has become a global concern causing threat to the health of human. It causes gastrointestinal infection which may be self-limiting, but invasive infections may be fatal, requiring appropriate therapy. This study was done to analyze the spectrum of NTS infections causing extraintestinal infections and its susceptibility pattern from a tertiary care center in India.

Materials and methods: The medical records of 27 patients whose cultures were positive for NTS between the years 2013-2016 were included in this retrospective study. The relevant demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed.

Results: Among the 27 patients, predominant patients were in the age group of 20-30 years. The male to female ratio is 1.7:1. Salmonella typhimurium was the predominant NTS isolated among 15/27 (55.5%), followed by Salmonella enteritidis 4/27 (14.8%). 18/27 (66.6%) of NTS were isolated from blood. Nalidixic acid was sensitive in 2/15 of S. typhimurium, 2/4 of S. enteritidis and 1/3 of Salmonella weltevreden, while others are nalidixic acid-resistant implying resistance to quinolones. They were sensitive to other antibiotics reported.

Conclusion: This study highlights the spectrum of NTS causing extraintestinal infections which is an emerging infection occurring mostly in immunosuppressed individuals. There should be a high degree of clinical suspicion which would help in the early diagnosis and management of patients.

Keywords: Extraintestinal; focal; immunocompromised; invasive; nontyphoid Salmonella.

Figure 1

Demographic characteristics of nontyphoidal Salmonella