Salmonella spp

Last reviewed 01/2018

The salmonella species of bacteria are gram negative bacilli responsible for three distinct clinical syndromes:

  • enteric fevers:
    • typhoid and paratyphoid fever
    • caused by S. typhi or S. paratyphi respectively
    • are systemic bacteraemic infections

  • salmonellosis:
    • is a form food poisoning, caused by non-typhoid Salmonellae
    • bowel symptoms e.g. diarrhoea, are predominant

  • salmonella osteomyelitis:
    • particularly common in patients with sickle cell anaemia

About 3% of patients will become chronic carriers.