Salmonella fears grow as strain resists drugs

09 April 1998

Salmonella fears grow as strain resists drugs

The second most common form of salmonella strain food poisoning in Britain is becoming resistant to an increasingly large number of antibiotic drugs, scientists have disclosed.

Salmonella typhimurium DT104 has now spread to pigs, sheep, chicken, turkeys and even household pets. It has become “almost universal” and has been found to be resistant to up to seven antibiotics, including tetracyclines.

The Public Health Laboratory Service in London has launched an investigation to find out why the resistance has arisen.

In 1992 there were 789 cases of salmonella typhimurium but by 1996 the numbers had reached 3,821.

Doug Georgola, chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, said: “The figures show theres been no significant drop.”

The magazine New Scientist reported that the number of cases of the virulent strain of salmonella enteritidas was still dangerously high.