Epidemiology of Salmonella Bongori 48: z35: - in Southern Italy, 1984 - 2000.

Isolation of Salmonella bongori is very infrequent worldwide. Human infections caused by this Salmonella species have been so far recorded in Sicily only. Two small outbreaks of enteritis in infants and children occurred in 1985 and in 1998 in eastern and western Sicily, respectively. Additional isolations from human and non human sources have been made between 1984 and 2000. Clonality amongst the strains identified in this 16-year period was investigated by molecular methods. Ribotyping was performed by using HincII, PvuII and SalI digested whole-cell DNA. Three slightly different profiles were identified, with the predominant one being shared by isolates from various sources through the entire period of observation. Strain differentiation within a so uncommon serotype of Salmonella was unexpected. Moreover, isolation from the food chain, sewage and both wild and pet animals seems to validate the hypothesis of an endemic presence of this organism in southern Italy.