Salmonella-induced enteritis. Clinical, serotypes and treatment.

Salmonella-induced enteritis is a widespread cause of morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries. The frequency of different Salmonella serotypes in different areas varies according to time and locality. The prevalence of different Salmonella serotypes in Yanbu area was studied in 136 stool cultures from patients admitted with gastroenteritis, to the medical ward of Royal Commission Hospital in the period 1/6/1991 to 30/10/1991. Fifteen different Salmonella serotypes were determined among 31 positive Salmonella isolates and all were of the gastroenteric group, diarrhoeagenic but noninvasive. The most common serotype was S. typhimurium (45.16%) followed by S. enteritidis (9.62%) then S. virchow (6.46%). Other forms of Salmonella were isolated from one patient each 3.23%, S. paratyphi B java, S. heidelberg, S. livingstone, S. infantis, S. bovis morbificans, S. corvallis, S. eastbourne, S. give, S. senftenberg, S. poona, S. adelaide, and S. johannesburg. Saudi patients comprised about 71% and 29% were patients of four different nationalities. Antibiograms of these cultures proved to be all sensitive to norfloxacin with different forms of resistance to chloramphenicol, ampicillin and trimethoprim. Norfloxacin proved to be effective in the treatment of resistant forms of Salmonella with negligible side effects and wide safety range.