Multi-drug resistant Salmonella Java infections acquired from tropical fish aquariums, Australia, 2003-04

Authors

  • Jennie Musto Communicable Diseases Branch, New South Wales Department of Health, North Sydney, New South Wales
  • Martyn Kirk OzFoodNet, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
  • Diane Lightfoot Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, University of Melbourne. Parkville, Melbourne
  • Barry G Combs OzFoodNet, Communicable Disease Control Branch, Department of Health, Rundle Mall, South Australia
  • Lillian Mwanri OzFoodNet, Communicable Disease Control Branch, Department of Health, Rundle Mall, South Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2006.30.18

Keywords:

Salmonella, paratyphi, antibiotics, aquariums, fish, zoonoses, antibiotic resistance

Abstract

Antibiotic resistant Salmonella infections are rare in Australia. We investigated an increase in multi-drug resistant Salmonella Paratyphi B biovar Java (S. Java) infections in Australia during 2003–4. Eighty-two per cent (18/22) of S. Java cases enrolled into the study reported that they had been in contact with aquariums housing fish during their incubation period. Seventy-two per cent (13/18) of cases were infected with strains that were resistant to ApSmTcCmSuSp (ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, spectinomycin). Case households commonly reported high risk behaviours, such as cleaning aquaria in sinks. Sixty-one per cent (11/18) of cases reported that fish in their aquarium had been sick or died in the week prior to their illness, and S. Java was isolated from the water or gravel of 5 cases. These antibiotic strains are being spread internationally and may become endemic in countries importing tropical fish or result in transfer of resistance to other more common Salmonella serotypes. Commun Dis Intell 2006;30:222–227.

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References

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Published

01/06/06

How to Cite

Musto, Jennie, Martyn Kirk, Diane Lightfoot, Barry G Combs, and Lillian Mwanri. 2006. “Multi-Drug Resistant Salmonella Java Infections Acquired from Tropical Fish Aquariums, Australia, 2003-04”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 30 (June):222-27. https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2006.30.18.

Issue

Vol. 30 (2006)

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Original article

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