EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SALMONELLOSIS IN ARKANSAS

Human salmonellosis continues to be a major public health issue. Our e pidemiologic review of cases from 1989 to 1992 was done to define the current reported rate of infection due to Salmonella species for the s tate of Arkansas, which might be expected to have higher rates of infe ction because it is a leading producer of poultry. Results showed that the reported case rate in Arkansas (18.0/100,000) did not differ from that of the United States at large (18.6/100,000). Age-specific rates , however, showed that children less than 1 year of age in Arkansas we re infected at a higher rate than those in the remainder of the nation . Salmonella newport and S typhimurium were the most commonly isolated serotypes. Individuals living in a county with poultry processing pla nts and hatcheries were not more likely to have salmonellosis, and ind ividuals residing in Arkansas do not appear to be at increased risk of salmonellosis because of the poultry industry.