UK, other EU countries report increase of human Salmonella Mikawasima infections
Several EU countries have over the past three months observed an unusual increase in the number of Salmonella Mikawasima infections in humans, according to a recent European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) news release.
European Union Map
Image/CIA
The countries that have reported an increase in infections caused by this strain of salmonella during the past quarter include the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany and Sweden.
Other countries have recorded cases, but are not considered an increase in normal numbers.
The United Kingdom accounts for two-thirds (75) of the 117 cases reported from September to November. Of these, 29 were clustered in Scotland and 46 clustered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Thirty-nine cases are female (52%) and 36 are male. The median age is 43 years (range 1–85).
In Denmark, eleven domestic cases were reported. The date of onset for the cases was between 9 and 22 October 2013.
No cases have been reported in the UK or Denmark since 1 November.
The authors of the Rapid Outbreak Assessment say the current epidemiological and microbiological investigations do not allow conclusions to be drawn on whether the cases are linked. Considering that S. Mikawasima is an uncommon serovar, the concomitant increase in number of cases in several countries, although seasonally typical for this serovar, suggests a common exposure.
In addition, they say the S. Mikawasima isolates recorded in animals should be assessed in view of the recent increase in the number of human cases. This may support the generation of epidemiological hypothesises for testing, with the aim of identifying a common source of transmission.
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