Infant salmonellosis and vacuum cleaners.

Microbiological examination of the contents of vacuum cleaner bags collected from case and control homes demonstrated a statistically significant association (OR = 3.13, CL = 1.32-7.50) between infant salmonellosis cases and Salmonella contamination of the vacuums used in their homes. This suggests that some cases of infant salmonellosis may result from contact with contamination in the home environment and that steps taken to protect infants from potentially contaminated dust or dust aerosols may reduce the risk of contracting this infection.