[Prevalence and characteristics of Salmonella in selected localities of the Czech Republic--comparison of epidemiological and laboratory data].

UNLABELLED: The study objectives were to characterize in detail human isolates of Salmonella in selected localities of the Czech Republic and to consider the actual epidemiological situation in the country based on the comparison with the reported cases of salmonellosis (source EPIDAT). METHODS: The source of the national epidemiological data was EPIDAT (communicable disease notification system). Laboratory data was obtained by analysis of Salmonella isolates from five clinical laboratories in Bohemia and Moravia. The isolates were collected at regular intervals from January to August and their numbers were indicative of the local epidemiological situation. The Salmonella strains were serotyped and those of serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium were phage typed. RESULTS: Epidemiological data analysis confirmed that the predominant causative serotype in the study period was Enteritidis, implicated in 5 329 (89.8%) of 5 934 reported cases of salmonellosis, followed by Typhimurium (302 cases, i.e. 5.1%). Laboratory data analysis revealed a lower incidence of the serotype Enteritidis (found in 231, i.e. in 84.6%, of 273 tested strains) and the same incidence of the serotype S. Typhimurium (14 strains, i.e. 5.1%). The most common phage types among strains of serotype Enteritidis were PT8, PT4, PT13a and PT6 while phage type DT104 was most often detected among strains of serotype Typhimurium. Moreover, the study revealed differences between the numbers of reported (EPIDAT) and laboratory diagnosed cases of salmonellosis. Within the study period, 111 (40%) cases of salmonellosis remained unreported in the study localities. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that the characteristics of Salmonella isolates (serotyping, phage typing and antimicrobial resistance data) relevant to the epidemiological data collection are either inaccurate or unavailable. Therefore, a national system needs to be created for the collection of Salmonella clinical isolates that should be further typed to obtain data for the monitoring at both the national and international levels.