Salmonella

Abstract

This chapter describes the salmonellae as the gram-negative, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic bacteria in the family Enterobacteriaceae. It mentions different serotypes of Salmonella that are widely distributed in nature and found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of the hosts with which they are associated. It also looks at Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi that are found to colonize only the human GI tract. The chapter discusses other Salmonella serotypes, such as Salmonella typhimurium that have a wide range of hosts, and Salmonella dublin and Salmonella Arizona that are rarely found in the GI tracts of humans. It investigates the infections caused by the salmonellae that are grouped into three major syndromes: gastroenteritis, typhoid or enteric fever, and localized infection outside of the GI tract.