Year: 2005
Type: review
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In 1999 and 2000, 3 state health departments reported 4 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness due to Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in employees, clients, and client animals from 3 companion animal veterinary clinics and 1 animal shelter.More than 45 persons and companion animals became ill.Four independent investigations resulted in the testing of 19 human samples and >200 animal samples; 18 persons and 36 animals were culture-positive for S. Typhimurium.One outbreak was due to multidrug-resistant S. Typhimurium R-type ACKSSuT, while the other 3 were due to multidrug-resistant S. Typhimurium R-type ACSSuT DT104.This report documents nosocomial transmission of S. Typhimurium and demonstrates that companion animal facilities may serve as foci of transmission for salmonellae between animals and humans if adequate precautions are not followed.S almonella spp.infect an estimated 1.4 million persons annually in the United States.Although most infections are self-limiting with diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever, severe infections are not uncommon.Estimates suggest that ≈15,000 people are hospitalized and >500 deaths occur annually due to Salmonella infections (1).Food animals are the primary reservoir for human nontyphoidal Salmonella infections; person-to-person transmission of nontyphoidal salmonellae is uncommon in the United States.Transmission of salmonellae to humans typically occurs by ingesting meat, dairy products, and other foods contaminated by animal feces or by cross-contamination from foods contaminated with salmonellae.Zoonotic transmission of Salmonella spp.can also occur through direct exposure to the feces of reptiles, farm animals, pets, pet treats, and other animals (2-10).Antimicrobial agents such as fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins (e.g., ceftriaxone) are commonly used to treat severe human Salmonella infections.Resistance to these and other antimicrobial drugs, as well as multidrug resistance, has increased over the last several decades (11), partly as a consequence of antimicrobial drug use in food animals (2).The use of antimicrobial agents in companion animals (e.g., dogs and cats) may also contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance in salmonellae, but the impact of this contribution is unknown.Antimicrobial drug use in companion animals, therefore, could increase the likelihood of zoonotic transmission of multidrug-resistant salmonellae by generating drug-resistant strains as well as by making animals more susceptible to resistant infections (12).Salmonella outbreaks with illness in animals and humans have been reported in both equine and companion animal veterinary facilities (13-19).These reports
Source: Emerging infectious diseases
Institutions: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS Viral Hepatitis STD and TB Prevention, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Minnesota Department of Health, University of Minnesota, Washington State Department of Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington State University, New York University
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2004101792