According to the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK), the number of human Salmonella isolates submitted by Austria is close to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels after declining in 2020 and 2021.
In 2022, the number of isolates sent to the National Salmonella Reference Center has increased by 118. Last year, 1,166 Salmonella isolates were submitted to reference centres, compared to 1,048 in 2021. Still below the 1,872 plants sent in 2019.
Salmonella Enteritidis is the most common serotype in humans, although its share has declined in recent years.
Salmonella typhimurium, including monophasic variants, increased from 2021. Since 2011, except in 2017, the number of S. typhimurium isolates has continued to decline. Salmonella in infants came in third.
In 2022, there was a nationwide outbreak caused by Salmonella typhimurium with 28 patients, but no source of infection was identified.
Austria is also part of a multi-country outbreak of monophasic Salmonella typhimurium linked to Ferrero Kinda chocolate products, with 14 cases.
A total of 34 household outbreaks, defined as two or more infected persons in a household, involved 79 BMSGPK representations,
against ciprofloxacin and third-generation cephalosporins such as cefotaxime and ceftazidime are still rare.
Yersinia data
2022, Austrian Health The Austrian National Reference Center for Yersinia with the Food Safety Agency (AGES) received 201 human isolates.
Of these, 107 were pathogenic and 94 were non-pathogenic. Among the pathogenic bacteria, there were 105 Yersinia enterocolitica, of which 88 were O:3 serotype; biological variant 4, two of which were Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.
A total of 130 cases of yersiniasis were reported to BMSGPK. That’s roughly the same level as 2021. Based on data from 38 patients, 22 reported diarrhea, 11 reported abdominal pain, and three mentioned vomiting and fever, respectively.
Affects more men than women. The most affected group is those aged 5 to 14. The data show that yersiniasis remains a rare disease in Austria.
Two imported cases in 2022, one from Cuba and one from Spain. Both isolates were Yersinia enterocolitica serovar O:3, biovar 4.
In vitro susceptibility testing of pathogenic Y. One strain was resistant to tetracycline and co-trimoxazole. All isolates of Y. enterocolitica were resistant to ampicillin.
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