Aims: To report the incidence of nontyphoidal salmonellas in England and Wales and identified in the Division of Enteric Pathogens, London between 1981 and 1990.
Methods: Strains were serotyped and phage typed for Salmonella typhimurium, S enteritidis, and S virchow, using established methods.
Results: Overall, less than 2% of nontyphoidal salmonellas isolated from humans were from blood culture. The highest numbers of bloodstream isolates were from infections caused by S enteritidis and S typhimurium, but the highest incidence of septicaemias was attributable to infections with S cholerae-suis, S dublin, and S virchow. 2.2% of S typhimurium isolates phage type 204C were from blood culture; likewise, 5.5% of S virchow phage type 19. This could be a cause for concern as most isolates of both these phage types are multiresistant to antimicrobial drugs.
Conclusions: Salmonella septicaemia is rare in England and Wales in other than a few serotypes of limited epidemiological importance.