Detecting non-typhoid Salmonella in humans by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs): practical and epidemiological aspects.

Salmonellosis caused by non-typhoid Salmonella serotypes is one of the most common causes of food-borne illness throughout the world. The diagnosis is primarily by culture and more recently molecular methods, whereas the use of serological methods for diagnosis of Salmonella infections is limited by high running costs as well as low sensitivity and specificity. Fast and reliable immunoassays for detection of S. typhi subunit antigens are commercially available, but there is no international consensus of similar tests for non-typhoid salmonellosis. Most immunoassays for non-typhoid human Salmonella diagnosis are developed in-house and used in-house for research or regional surveillance purposes. Only few laboratories use serology for the diagnosis of Salmonella-associated complications such as arthritis. Considering the current burden of disease, the development of a validated and standardized, commercially available antibody assay for diagnosing non-typhoid human salmonellosis can be of great benefit for diagnostic and surveillance purposes throughout the world.