Etiological characteristics of clinical Salmonella isolates from foodborne infection patients in Hefei, 2013–2015

ObjectiveTo study the serotypes and molecular characteristics of Salmonella isolates from the foodborne infection patients in Hefei of Anhui province.

MethodsThe isolation and identification of Salmonella were conducted by using the clinical samples collected from the foodborne infection patients in 2 sentinel hospitals in Hefei during 2013 and 2015, the serotypes and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns by Xba Ⅰ enzymes digestion of the Salmonella isolates were analyzed.

ResultsA total of 76 Salmonella strains were isolated from 2 618 clinical samples, the overall isolation rate was 2.9%. Among the 76 Salmonella isolates, 17 serotypes were detected. The major serotype was S. typhimurium, followed by S. enteriditics. Fifty three molecular patterns were found with Xba Ⅰ enzymes digestion in 69 Salmonella strains, each pattern contained 1-5 strains of Salmonella. Among them, S. typhimurium had 20 molecular patterns, and S. enteriditics had 10 molecular patterns.

ConclusionFoodborne Salmonella infection was mainly caused by S. typhimurium and S. enteriditics in Hefe with characteristics of co-existing of multi serotypes and sporadic outbreak. The establishment of serotype and PFGE molecular pattern databases of Salmonella causing food borne infection would facilitate the surveillance for foodborne Salmonella infection outbreak.