Infectious Disease Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis, named after pathologist Daniel S. Salmon who first isolated the organism from porcine intestine, was first described in 1880 and cultured in 1884 (Salmonellosis1 pp). Salmonellae are motile, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, and are common in the gastrointestinal tracts of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects (Salmonellosis1 pp).

Salmonellae are potential enteric pathogens and a leading cause of bacterial food-borne illness (Salmonellosis1 pp).

With a single overarching species (Salmonella

choleraesuis) and over 2000 serotypes, salmonellae have been implicated in a spectrum of diseases, including enteric or typhoid fever (primarily

Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi), bacteremia, focal infections, and enterocolitis (typically Salmonella

typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, and Salmonella

heidelberg) (Salmonellosis1 pp).

Salmonellae is usually transmitted by consumption of contaminated foods, particularly beef, poultry, and eggs, although improperly prepared fruits, vegetable, dairy products, and shellfish have also been implicated, as well as human-to-human and animal-to-human transmission (Salmonellosis1...
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