SALMONELLA-ENTERITIDIS, AN EMERGENT PATHO GEN IN CHILE

Background: Salmonella enteritidis infections have increased worldwide in the last years. Isolation of this pathogen was remarkably rare in Chile until 1994, when the still ongoing outbreak emerged. Aim: To ass ess the main epidemiological characteristics of the Salmonella enterit idis epidemic in Chile. Material and methods: Cases of clinical infect ions by Salmonella enteritidis were recorded from bacteriological and demographic notifications obtained at The National Reference Laborator y for Enterobacteria. Infection rates were calculated using the total Chilean population and the population of the different Health Services along the country. Results: Until 1993, 13,67 Salmonella enteritidis strains per year were received at the Reference Laboratory. The figure s increased to 478 and 432 in 1994 and 1995, respectively. National ra tes were 3.41 and 3.04 notifications/100,000 inhabitants in 1994 and 1 995 respectively. Northern regions were the most affected and 90% of o bserved cases during 1994 came from Arica and Antofagasta. At the pres ent time, 20% of cases are observed in Santiago, located in the mid-po rtion of the country The outbreak has mainly affected children and you ng adults (70% of cases). Strains have been isolated from stool cultur es, suggesting gastrointestinal infections as the main clinical presen tation. More than 98% of strains are susceptible to chloramphenicol, a mpicillin, tetracycline, sulfa-trimetroprim, cefotaxime or ciprofloxac in. Conclusions: The obtained data clearly indicate the existence of a n epidemic outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis infections, with a geogr aphic progression from North to South.